/ 


OCT 


i  /j 


1924 


•%06/CAL 


BV  3202  . T67  L58 
Livingstone,  W.  P. 
A  Galilee  doctor 


/  - 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


* 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


https://archive.org/details/galileedoctorbeiOOIivi 


t 


Dr.  Torrance 


[Photo,  Lafayette 


Frontispiece ] 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


■ » i\' 


BEING  A  SKETCH  OF  THE  CAREER 

. 

OF  DR.  D.  W.  TORRANCE 
OF  TIBERIAS 


BY 


W.  P 


LIVINGSTONE 


AUTHOR  OF 

“MARY  SLF.SSOR  OF  CALABAR”  “  DR.  LAWS  OF  LIVINGSTONIA  ” 

ETC.  ETC. 


HODDER  AND  STOUGHTON 


LIMITED 


LONDON 


MADE  AND 


PRINTED  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN  BY  MORRISON  AND  GIBB  LTD, 


EDINBURGH 


CONTENTS 


PART  ONE 

PAGE 

I.  A  Famous  Tour  i 

II.  “Torrance’s  Boy”  .  .  .  .10 

III.  Student  Days  .  .  .  .  .  17 

IV.  Prospecting  .  .  .  •  .24 

V.  Nazareth  .  .  .  •  •  *34 

VI.  “His  own  City”.  .  .  .  .40 

VII.  A  Pauper  Ghetto  .  .  .  -45 

PART  TWO 

I.  Opposition  .  .  .  .  -53 

> 

II.  Comedy  of  the  Custom-House  .  .  -59 

III.  Viewing  the  Land  .  65 

IV.  A  Fiery  Furnace  .  .  .  71 

V.  The  Apostate  .  .  .  .  .77 

VI.  The  City  on  the  Hill  .  .  .  83 

VII.  A  Difficult  Audience  .  .  .  .86 

VIII.  The  Process  of  buying  Land  .  .  91 

IX.  At  the  Back  of  Beyond  .  .  .96 

X.  Curses  ......  105 

XI.  In  Peril  on  the  Lake  .  .  .  .112 

V 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

XII.  A  Fierce  Campaign 

XIII.  Securing  a  Firman 

XIV.  The  Fires  of  Persecution 

XV.  The  First  Baptism 

XVI.  Opening  of  the  Hospital 

XVII.  A  Spiritual  Clinic 

PART  THREE 

I.  The  Jewish  Dream 

II.  Amongst  the  Arabs 
HI.  Lights  and  Shadows 

IV.  Terrible  Weeks  . 

V.  Personalities 

VI.  Revolution 

VII.  School  Difficulties 

VIII.  “Dead  Tired”  . 

IX  The  Advance  of  the  Jew 


PAGE 

1 16 
125 
I31 
137 
144 

iS3 


163 

168 

176 

185 

i93 

200 

208 

216 

226 


PART  FOUR 

I.  Tragedy  . 

II.  The  Jewish  Dawn 

III.  Reconstruction  . 

IV.  The  Conflict  of  Arab  and  Jew 

V.  A  Narrow  Escape 

VI.  A  Sunday  Vignette 

VII.  “God’s  Reserves” 


241 

249 

253 

259 

266 

273 

276 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Dr.  Torrance  .... 

Map  of  Palestine,  with  Lake  Inset  . 

Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

32 

Plan  of  Tiberias 

• 

•  • 

33 

Distant  View  of  Tiberias 

•  • 

33 

Dr.  Torrance  standing  at  the 
First  House. 

Entrance  to  his 

•  •  • 

48 

The  Famous  Medicinal  Baths 

beyond 

and  the  Tomb 

•  •  • 

48 

Dr.  Torrance  in  Arab  Dress  . 

• 

•  • 

49 

Safed  :  The  Jewish  Quarter  . 

• 

•  • 

96 

Some  Patients  of  the  Early  Days 

• 

• 

96 

A  Tiberias  Jew  studying  the 
Synagogue 

Talmud 

• 

IN  THE 

•  ♦ 

97 

A  Typical  Tiberias  Jew 

• 

•  ■ 

97 

Tiberias  .... 

• 

•  • 

1 12 

A  Bedouin  Tent. 

• 

•  • 

IT3 

The  Hill  overlooking  Tiberias  on  which 
Castle  was  built  . 

Herod’s 

•  • 

IJ3 

Moslem  Woman  carrying  Water  from  the 

Lake 

160 

Tiberias  Shops  . 

• 

•  • 

160 

Moonlight  on  the  Lake 

t 

•  • 

161 

Moonlight  on  the  Lake 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


FACING  PAGE 


Vlll 


Dr.  Torrance  walking  on  the  Plain  where  the 

*  ^OOO  ARE  SUPPOSED  TO  HAVE  BEEN  FED 

The  Mission  Hospital  and  Houses  from  the  Lake. 
A  Sudden  Storm  on  the  Lake. 

Women  Patients  . 

Villager  and  Bedouin  at  the  Hospital 

Sister  Frieda,  Miss  Vartan,  Isaac,  Miss  Paris, 
Mohammad  . 

A  Tiberias  Street  after  the  War  . 

Dr.  Torrance  talking  to  the  Trades  People 

Patient  and  Baby 

The  Explosions  of  British  Shells  watched  bv  Sister 
Frieda  at  El  Arish 

The  New  Properties  at  Safed 

Afternoon  Tea  on  the  Verandah 

The  Staff  of  the  Hospital,  1923 

A  Sunday  Service  in  One  of  the  Wards 

On  the  Hills  of  Galilee 


161 

176 

176 

177 
177 

224 

225 
225 
240 

240 

241 
241 
272 

272 

273 


FOREWORD 


The  career  of  the  first  Christian  physician  to  heal 
and  teach  on  the  shores  of  the  Lake  of  Galilee, 
in  the  scenes  most  closely  associated  with  the 
ministry  of  Jesus,  cannot  fail  to  possess  some 
points  of  interest.  Like  all  missionary  memoirs 
it  is  a  story  of  heroic  struggle  and  perseverance,  but, 
unlike  others,  it  possesses  little  glamour  of  visible 
achievement.  Now,  as  of  old,  it  would  seem, 
Jesus  is  not  without  honour  save  in  the  district  in 
which  He  lived  and  founded  the  Christian  faith. 
The  Sea  of  Galilee  Mission  was  established  thirty- 
nine  years  ago,  and  the  intervening  period  has  been 
filled  in  with  medical,  educational,  and  evangelistic 
service  of  the  most  strenuous  kind :  the  results 
may,  therefore,  appear  meagre  after  so  great  an 
expenditure  of  effort,  but  the  real  significance  of 
the  situation  will  be  learnt  from  the  narrative. 
In  addition  to  throwing  light  on  the  peculiarly 
difficult  nature  of  missionary  work  amongst  Jews 
and  Moslems,  it  traces  the  development  of  the 
events  which  have  led  up  to  the  present  political 
position  in  Palestine. 


i*c 


the  story  in  brief 


“  Come  ye  after  Me” 


“  And  His  fame  went  throughout  all  Syria  :  and  they  brought 

unto  Him  all  sick  people  that  were  taken  with 

torments,  and  those  which  were  possessed  with  devi  s  an 

which  were  lunatick,  and  those  that  had  the  palsy  ;  and  e  tea  e 

them” 


“  Master,  we  have  toiled  all  the  night,  and  have  taken  nothing: 
nevertheless ,  at  Thy  word 


“  To  what  purpose  is  this  waste  ?  ”... 

“  Why  trouble  ye  ?  She  hath  wrought  a  good  work  upon  Me 

“  Well  done ,  good  and  faithful  servant. 


PART  ONE 


I.  A  FAMOUS  TOUR 
!839 

This  story  of  yesterday  and  to-day  in  Palestine 
has  its  real  beginning  in  the  early  part  of  the  nine¬ 
teenth  century,  when  a  noble  pity  for  the  Jewish 
race  moved  a  number  of  earnest  men  and  women 
in  Scotland  to  do  what  little  they  could  to  amelio¬ 
rate  its  condition.  One  of  the  chief  of  these  was 
Mr.  Robert  Wodrow,  a  Glasgow  merchant,  great- 
grandson  of  the  historian  of  the  Scottish  Church. 
One  devout  lady,  Mrs.  Smith  of  Dunesk,  a  daughter 
of  Henry  Erskine  and  sister  of  the  Earl  of  Buchan, 
was  so  influenced  that  she  went  to  Dr.  Moody 

Stuart,  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  and  placed 
£100  in  his  hands. 

Put  that  into  the  bank  for  the  mission  for 
the  conversion  of  the  Jews,”  she  said. 

But,  madam,  he  replied,  there  is  no  such 
mission  ,  nor  has  the  subject  ever  been  mooted 
in  the  General  Assembly.” 

“  Then  let  it  remain  in  the  bank  until  the 
Church  takes  the  matter  up.” 

When  the  Doctor  handed  the  money  to  the 
banker  the  latter  said  : 

“  I  do  not  receive  money  for  an  object  which 
has  no  present  or  prospective  existence.” 


2 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


After  talking  it  over  he  finally  remarked  : 

“  Very  well ;  we  never  refuse  money,  and  I 

will  accept  it  on  deposit.” 

Shortly  afterwards,  in  1838,  the  Church  of 
Scotland  considered  the  matter,  and  in  the  belief 
that  all  social  and  political  good  would  come  to 
the  Jews  if  they  accepted  Christ,  its  scheme  of  help 
assumed  the  form  of  working  for  their  conversion. 
A  “  Committee  for  the  Conversion  of  the  Jews  ” 
was  instituted,  charged  at  first  with  the  simple  duty 
of  collecting  information  and  expending  any  con¬ 
tributions  that  might  be  sent  in. 

Various  motives,  no  doubt,  influenced  those 
who  took  an  active  part  in  the  movement.  Then, 
as  now,  a  certain  number  of  curious  minds  were 
attracted  by  fanciful  theories  associated  with  the 
promises  and  prophecies  of  Scripture  and  the 
destiny  of  Israel ;  there  were  many  who  believed 
that  it  was  a  primary  duty  of  the  Church  to  bring 
the  scattered  “  people  of  God  ”  to  Christ ;  others 
again  were  animated  simply  by  a  humanitarian 
impulse  ;  while  not  a  few  were  convinced  that  if 
the  Jews  were  converted  to  Christianity  and  rightly 
situated  in  the  world,  they  would,  by  the  force  of 
their  special  genius,  constitute  a  tremendous  power 
for  righteousness  and  progress. 

At  the  best,  however,  the  work  of  the  Com¬ 
mittee  appealed  only  to  a  limited  circle.  The 
majority  of  persons  had  no  love  for  the  Jew,  and 
any  appeal  on  his  behalf  left  them  cold  :  where 
it  was  not  received  with  indifference  it  evoked 
derision.  Even  among  prominent  members  of 
the  Church  the  Committee  was  looked  upon  as  a 


A  FAMOUS  TOUR 


3 


body  of  cranks,  and  tolerated  with  a  kind  of  amused 
contempt.  “  He  has  a  strange  notion/ ’  one  said 
of  Dr.  Keith  ;  “  he  believes  in  the  conversion  of  the 
Jews  !  ” 

In  the  eyes  of  average  Church  members  the  Jew 
was  a  caricature  of  a  man,  a  shambling,  dirty 
creature,  unsocial,  a  seller  of  old  clothes,  a  money¬ 
lender,  a  fanatic,  and  at  the  back  of  their  mind  was 
a  feeling  that  he  deserved  his  fate.  Had  not  his 
race  crucified  Christ,  and  was  it  not  suffering  just 
retribution  for  its  iniquity,  as  its  own  law  declared 
that  evil-doers  inevitably  do,  from  generation  to 
generation  ?  They  knew  nothing  of  its  modern 
history,  that  great  and  terrible  romance,  perhaps  the 
most  terrible  of  all  time,  which  is  not  yet  finished, 
or  of  the  conditions  that  had  forced  it  to  become 
what  it  was  ;  they  did  not  realize  the  fact  that  it 
was  the  bitter  persecution  and  repression  to  which 
it  had  been  subjected  that  had  kept  it  in  social 
and  religious  isolation,  and  had  given  it  the  char¬ 
acter  which  they  condemned.  For  what  is  called 
the  Jewish  problem  has  been  created  by  Christians  ; 
it  is  the  result  of  their  maltreatment  of  the  race 
for  centuries. 

Amongst  those  more  than  ordinarily  interested 
in  the  subject  was  the  Rev.  Robert  Murray 
M‘Cheyne  of  St.  Peter’s,  Dundee,  whose  name  and 
influence  still  linger  like  a  fragrance  in  the  quieter 
byways  of  Scotland.  His  health  had  given  way 
under  the  intensity  of  his  ministry,  and  he  was 
advised  to  go  abroad.  He  was  recruiting  in  Edin¬ 
burgh,  the  source  of  anxiety  to  his  friends,  when  one 
day  Dr.  Robert  Candlish  met  Dr.  Moody  Stuart 


4  A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

in  the  street  and  said,  “  Don’t  you  think  we  might 
send  M'Cheyne  to  Palestine  ?  He  could  inquire 
into  the  Jewish  situation  and  its  possibilities. 
Dr.  Stuart  cordially  assented,  and  M'Cheyne  was 
asked  if  he  would  go.  “  Palestine  the  Holy 
Lanq  !  ” — he  had  never  dreamed  that  so  romantic 
a  privilege  would  come  within  his  reach.  He 
agreed  with  joy.  The  idea  developed  and  ulti¬ 
mately  A  Mission  of  Inquiry  to  Palestine  and 
Eastern  Europe  was  arranged,  the  delegates  con¬ 
sisting  of  M’Cheyne,  his  great  friend,  the  Rev. 
Andrew  A.  Bonar,  and  two  experienced  Church¬ 
men,  Dr.  Keith,  minister  of  St.  Cyrus— in  place 
of  Mr.  Wodrow,  whose  health  forbade  him  accepting 
the  task— and  Professor  Black  of  Aberdeen.  The 
party  set  out  on  their  travels  in  April  1839. 

To  the  Christian  world  then,  Palestine  was 
practically  an  unknown  land.  Part  of  the  Ottoman 
Empire,  it  had  for  three  centuries  been  misruled 
by  the  Turks  until  it  had  become  the  mere  skeleton 
of  a  country.  The  sole  purpose  of  the  administra¬ 
tion  was  to  exact  the  utmost  possible  taxation  out 
of  the  unhappy  population,  who  had  no  inducement 
to  exert  themselves  and  no  interest  in  developing 
and  conserving  the  resources  of  the  land.  All  its 
old  prosperity  had  vanished.  It  had  been  peeled 
of  most  of  its  soil,  and  was  largely  a  waste  of 
stones  ;  here  and  there  was  an  oasis  of  fertility , 
but  there  was  no  general  vital  growth  ;  upon  its 
bare  surface  the  hot  sunshine  beat  without  relief ; 
a.aq  Pi*o m  end  to  end  there  lay  upon  it  an  absolute 

quiet  like  the  rigid  calm  of  death. 

The  dominant  party  in  the  country  were, 


A  FAMOUS  TOUR 


5 


naturally,  the  Turkish  officials,  whose  only  duty  was 
to  collect  the  Government  imposts  and  transmit 
them  to  Constantinople.  They  were  compara¬ 
tively  few  in  number,  and  were  in  the  position  of 
caretakers  rather  than  of  permanent  occupants  : 
they  sat  lightly  to  the  land  and  were  regarded  as 
foreign  tax-gatherers  and  oppressors  whose  tenure 
might  cease  at  any  time.  It  was  a  common  saying 
amongst  them  that  they  had  to  earn  three  fortunes 
while  in  office:  one  to  pay  for  their  position,  one 
to  pacify  their  superiors  when  accused  of  mal¬ 
administration,  and  one  to  purchase  a  new  post. 
They  earned  these  fortunes  by  means  of  “  bakh¬ 
shish,”  a  recognized  system  of  commission  or  fees 
in  the  business  life  of  the  East. 

The  bulk  of  the  population  called  themselves 
Arabs  because  they  spoke  Arabic,  but  the  name 
was  misleading.  Although  the  Arab  conquest  of 
the  land  brought  a  new  religion,  it  did  not  to  any 
extent  change  the  type  and  character  of  the  inhabi¬ 
tants  ;  in  the  main  they  continued  descendants  of 
the  Israelitish  occupants  formed  by  the  union  of 
Hebrews  and  Canaanites.  From  time  to  time, 
however,  other  elements  came  in  and  modified  the 
general  strain  ;  and  one  could  still  find,  in  fair 
faces,  pink  cheeks,  and  blue  eyes,  traces  of  the 
Crusaders. 

Whether  Moslems  or  Christians,  they  could  be 
divided  broadly  into  two  great  classes  :  within  the 
walled  towns  lived  the  effendiyeh,  or  landowners,  and 
the  business  and  professional  men,  more  or  less 
educated  and  prosperous  ;  and  in  the  unwalled 
villages  of  rude  mud  houses  the  settled  peasantry 


6 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


or  fellahin,  who,  while  industrious  and  frugal, 
were  superstitious  to  the  last  degree.  Outside  the 
pale  of  town  and  village  existence  roamed  the 
nomadic  bedouin,  of  pure  Arab  origin,  with  their 
flocks  and  herds,  wanderers  amongst  the  silent 
plains  and  desert  wastes,  grossly  ignorant  according 
to  European  standards,  yet  possessing  native 
nobility  of  character  and  a  virile  intellect. 

The  number  of  Jews  was  small — not  more  than 
twelve  thousand  at  the  outside — and  they  were 
confined  to  the  large  centres,  the  holy  cities  of 
Jerusalem,  Hebron,  Tiberias,  and  Safed.  All  had 
emigrated  back  from  Europe  ana  Northern  Africa, 
for  Palestine  had  never  ceased  to  be  of  intense 
interest  to  the  race.  It  was  their  spirtual  father- 
land  ;  their  hearts  turned  to  it  with  an  overmaster¬ 
ing  longing,  such  a  longing  as  that  expressed  by  a 
twelfth-century  Rabbi  for  Jerusalem  : 

“  Oh,  city  of  the  world  :  thou  fair  one  in  holy  magnificence , 

In  the  far  Western  regions  I  am  longing,  yearning  after  thee  ; 

Oh  for  an  eagle's  wings,  then  would  I  fly  to  thee 

And  not  rest  till  I  had  moistened  thy  dust  with  my  tears  !  ” 


Many  Jews  in  all  parts  of  the  world  faced  the 
long  and  perilous  journey  in  order  to  visit  one  or 
other  of  the  famous  tombs  or  to  die  on  the  sacred 
soil.  Throughout  Jewry  it  was  a  dream  that  the 
land  would  yet  be  restored  to  them.  How  that 
would  come  about  they  could  not  conceive,  but 
they  hoped  that  somehow  or  other  in  God’s  provi¬ 
dence  the  way  would  open  up  for  them  to  go  back 
and  possess  it. 

Difficult  to  reach,  it  was  more  difficult  to  travel 


A  FAMOUS  TOUR 


7 


in  :  outside  the  towns  and  the  villages  only  a 
nominal  authority  was  exercised,  and  lawlessness 
went  unchecked.  Kinglake’s  Eothen  gives  a  picture 
of  the  uncertainties  and  the  discomforts  attending 
a  tour  in  it.  No  minister  of  the  Church  of  Scotland 
had  previously  paid  it  a  visit,  so  that  the  journey 
of  the  four  deputies  was  considered  a  notable 
achievement. 

While  making  their  way  up  from  Egypt  through 
the  desert,  Dr.  Black  had  a  fall  from  his  camel 
which  affected  his  health,  and  when  Jerusalem 
was  reached,  he  and  Dr.  Keith,  exhausted  by  the 
toil  and  the  heat,  decided  to  leave  the  further 
exploration  of  the  country  to  the  younger  men,  and 
to  return  home  by  easy  stages  across  the  Continent. 
At  Budapest,  Hungary,  both  fell  ill,  and  Dr.  Keith 
was  so  far  gone  that  bearers  were  in  attendance 
at  the  hotel  to  carry  out  his  body.  He  was  cared 
for  by  Maria  Dorothea,  wife  of  the  Archduke 
Joseph,  uncle  of  the  Emperor  of  Austria  and  Pala¬ 
tine  of  Hungary  ;  she  was  a  princess  of  the  house 
of  Wiirtemberg  and  a  Protestant,  and  during  the 
Doctor’s  convalescence  she  interested  him  in  the 
spiritual  condition  of  her  adopted  land,  and  pro¬ 
mised  her  protection  to  any  mission  that  might  be 
established. 

Meantime  Bonar  and  M‘Cheyne  carried  on 
their  tour  ;  they  visited  Safed  and  Tiberias,  and 
on  their  return  published  a  Narrative  of  their 
wanderings.  Glowing  with  light  and  colour,  vivid 
in  descriptive  detail,  and  relating  every  scene  and 
incident  to  Biblical  story,  it  created  profound 
interest  not  only  in  Scotland  but  far  beyond  its 


8 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


borders  ;  it  made  Palestine,  what  it  had  never  been, 
a  real  region  to  Christian  people,  and  it  set  in 
motion  forces  that  are  unspent  at  this  day. 

Missionaries  already  in  the  country  had  dilated 
warningly  on  the  strong  opposition  being  encoun¬ 
tered,  but  both  travellers  were  enthusiastic  as  to 
the  possibilities  of  carrying  on  a  mission.  In  their 
opinion  no  other  section  of  Jewry  presented  so 
promising  a  field.  It  was  the  heart  of  the  Jewish 
world  ;  in  some  mysterious  way  every  event  that 
occurred  was  quickly  known  in  other  countries  ; 
as  M‘Cheyne  wrote  to  a  friend,  “  One  stroke  here 
will  be  worth  twenty  in  another  land.”  Of  all  the 
districts  they  had  seen,  they  were  most  drawn  to 
Galilee.  It  was  the  one  which  Christ  loved  and 
frequented  :  it  was  the  chief  scene  of  His  ministry, 
and  the  cradle  of  the  Christian  religion.  And  of 
all  spots  in  Galilee,  Safed,  far  up  on  the  cool 
heights  and  overlooking  the  Lake,  seemed  to  be  the 
most  favourable  centre  for  beginning  operations  ; 
it  was,  indeed,  the  best  situation  in  Palestine. 
Tiberias,  the  only  town  on  the  hot  Lake  shore, 
might,  they  thought,  be  made  a  winter  station. 

In  the  Church  of  Scotland  the  effect  of  the  report 
was  immediate  :  it  was  resolved  to  make  work 
amongst  the  Jews  thenceforward  one  of  the  great 
missionary  schemes  of  the  Church.  By  a  strange 
twist  in  events,  however,  it  was  not  Palestine  that 
secured  the  first  station  but  Hungary.  “  That 
fall  in  the  desert,”  said  Mr.  Bonar,  “  opened  to  us 
the  gates  of  Budapest.”  The  conversations  of  Dr. 
Black  with  the  Archduchess  led  to  the  dispatch  of  a 
missionary  there,  and  the  interest  which  the  work 


A  FAMOUS  TOUR 


9 


aroused  pushed  Palestine  into  the  background. 
One  of  the  early  workers  at  Budapest  was  the 
famous  “  Rabbi  ”  Duncan,  and  amongst  the  first 
converts  were  the  equally  well-known  Adolph 
Saphir  and  Dr.  Alfred  Edersheim,  author  of  that 
notable  work  The  Life  and  Times  of  Jesus  the  Messiah. 

At  the  Disruption  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  in 
1843  the  Jewish  missionaries  joined  the  new  body, 
the  Church  of  Scotland  Free,  and  the  work  abroad 
went  on  without  interruption.  New  spheres  were 
opened  in  various  parts  of  Europe,  and  Budapest 
developed  and  became  an  important  centre  and 
one  of  the  greatest  Jewish  mission  fields  in  the 
world.  Palestine  was  forgotten  save  by  a  few,  one 
of  whom  was  Mrs.  Smith  of  Dunesk,  who  left  £500 
for  the  mission  in  the  sure  belief  that  it  would  yet 
be  established.  Other  organizations  entered  Galilee. 
The  London  Society  for  promoting  Christianity 
amongst  the  Jews — commonly  known  as  the  London 
Jews  Society,  and  more  recently  as  the  Church 
Missions  to  Jews — opened  a  station  at  Safed  and 
held  it,  with  varying  fortune,  until  1852,  when  the 
difficulty  of  carrying  on  the  work  in  the  face  of  the 
fanaticism  of  the  Jews  caused  it  to  be  abandoned. 
Nazareth,  a  town  which,  like  Bethlehem,  contained 
no  Jews,  was  occupied  for  general  evangelistic 
purposes  by  the  Church  Missionary  Society  ;  by 
the  Edinburgh  Medical  Mission  Society — a  world- 
famous  association  providing  students  with  training 
and  experience  for  the  mission  field — which  estab¬ 
lished  a  medical  mission  ;  and,  lastly,  by  an  English 
orphanage  for  girls  (handed  over  later  to  the  Church 
Missionary  Society) ;  all  in  addition  to  the  operations 


10 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


of  the  Eastern  Churches,  which,  here  as  elsewhere, 
were  buying  up  land  and  erecting  buildings  on 
sites  supposed  to  be  connected  with  New  Testa¬ 
ment  incidents. 

But  the  region  immediately  encircling  the  Lake 
of  Galilee  remained  outside  the  sphere  of  Pro¬ 
testant  influence.  No  society  had  been  tempted 
by  the  historical  associations  to  begin  evangelistic 
work  there  ;  nor  had  any  Christian  physician  sought 
to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  Jesus  on  the  shores  of 
the  Lake  ;  from  the  standpoint  of  medical  service 
the  district  was  still  virgin  ground.  It  was  waiting 
for  the  pioneer  who  would  have  the  faith  and  courage 
to  break  through  its  isolation  and  conquer  the 
formidable  obstacles  which  the  situation  presented. 

And  he,  meanwhile,  in  a  country  far  distant,  was 
being  fashioned  and  trained  for  the  task. 


II.  “  TORRANCE’S  BOY  ” 

1862-78 

Nature  does  at  times  seem  to  aim  consciously  at 
the  production  of  men  and  women  who  are  to  fulfil 
particular  tasks  in  the  world.  In  the  ancestry  of 
David  Watt  Torrance  can  be  noted  the  com¬ 
mingling  of  qualities  which,  centring  in  him,  fitted 
him  specially  for  the  work  he  was  to  undertake. 
Of  his  immediate  forbears,  the  Rev.  Robert 
Torrance,  his  paternal  grandfather,  was  the  first 
minister  of  the  Associate,  or  Auld  Licht,  congrega- 


"  TORRANCE’S  BOY  ”  11 

tion  in  Airdrie,  Lanark,  and  a  scholar  noted  for  his 
classical  attainments,  who  brought  to  the  manse, 
as  his  wife,  the  robust  daughter  of  a  farmer.  His 
mother’s  father  was  David  Watt,  an  Edinburgh 
engraver,  and  a  friend  of  Sir  Walter  Scott  ;  one  of 
her  brothers  was  a  well-known  member  of  some  of  the 
Standing  Committees  of  the  Free  Church.  His  own 
father,  Thomas  Torrance,  was  a  surgeon,  and  an 
elder,  and  his  mother  possessed  musical  and  artistic 
ability.  The  Church,  Medicine,  and  Art  thus  con¬ 
tributed  to  the  influences  which  moulded  his  early 
thought  and  character,  and  helped  to  determine  his 
career,  whilst  the  wholesome  country  blood  in  his 
veins  imparted  to  him  that  hardy  strength  which 
enabled  him  to  endure  what  a  less  virile  frame 
would  never  have  stood. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Torrance  was  something  of  a 
character,  if  he  can  be  judged  from  the  numerous 
anecdotes  related  of  him.  A  strict  Sabbatarian, 
he  would  lecture  his  congregation  in  forcible  and 
homely  style  on  the  sin  of  breaking  the  Fourth 
Commandment,  and  was  especially  hard  on  his 
juvenile  hearers  who  indulged  in  the  heinous 
practice  of  bird-nesting  on  Sunday.  Once  when 
praying  for  more  favourable  weather  for  the  crops 
he  said,  “For  Thou,  O  Lord,  knowest  that  the 
corn  on  Shotts  Hill  is  as  green  as  leek  tails.”  His 
wife  is  still  remembered  as  “  a  saintly  woman.” 

His  son,  Thomas  Torrance,  was  born  at  Airdrie 
in  1809,  and  studied  medicine  at  the  Universities  of 
St.  Andrews  and  Glasgow.  After  graduating  he 
set  up  in  practice  in  Graham  Street  in  his  native 
town,  and  there  David  Watt  Torrance  was  born  on 


12  A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

6th  November  1862,  one  of  the  youngest  of  a  large 
family. 

Airdrie  is  on  the  direct  road  between  Glasgow 
and  Edinburgh,  and  in  the  old  coaching  days  the 
coaches  passed  along  Graham  Street,  which  is  part 
of  the  highway,  and  stopped  at  the  Royal  Hotel, 
near  the  surgery.  The  inhabitants  always  con¬ 
sidered  that  had  the  river  Clyde  passed  through 
the  burgh,  the  town  would  have  been  the  site  of  the 
second  city  of  the  Empire  instead  of  Glasgow. 
Originally  a  centre  of  hand-loom  weaving,  it  rose 
to  prosperity  on  the  discovery  of  coal  and  black- 
band  ironstone,  but  in  David’s  childhood  days 
mining  had  greatly  diminished  in  importance,  and 
other  industries  were  taking  its  place,  though  coal 
pits  continued  to  be  worked  in  the  vicinity.  There 
is  still  much  unworked  coal  beneath  the  town,  a  fact 
demonstrated  during  the  miners’  strike  some  years 
ago,  when  householders  had  merely  to  go  into 
their  back  gardens  and  dig  down  a  few  feet  to  obtain 
all  the  supplies  they  required. 

Dr.  Torrance  was  a  skilful  surgeon  and  oculist, 
and  his  kind  and  sympathetic  manner  made  him 
popular  both  among  his  townsmen  and  the  colliers 
in  the  neighbourhood.  He  entered  largely  into 
the  public  life  of  the  town,  was  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  and  for  a  time  Town  Councillor  and  Burgh 
Treasurer,  and  became  an  enthusiastic  Freemason. 
A  series  of  lectures  on  health  which  he  organized 
gave  rise  to  the  Mechanics’  Institute,  of  which  he 
was  the  first  President.  In  1859  joined  the  Rifle 
Volunteers,  and  was  later  made  Assistant  Surgeon 
to  the  battalion.  He  was  an  elder  in  Broomknoll 


“  TORRANCE’S  BOY  ” 


13 


Church,  of  which  his  father  had  been  minister, 
but  Mrs.  Torrance  went  to  the  Free  West  Church, 
and  the  children  accompanied  her  there.  Holding 
numerous  professional  offices  the  Doctor  was  one 
of  the  busiest  of  men  and  could  hot  spare  time  to 
attend  to  the  indoor  training  of  the  children,  but 
he  encouraged  and  guided  their  recreation,  teach¬ 
ing  them  to  fly  kites,  play  cricket  and  football, 
and  ride  ;  and  later  supplied  them  with  gymnasium 
equipment.  One  of  David’s  earliest  recollections 
was  of  being  placed  on  his  father’s  pony.  From  the 
first  he  was  a  lover  of  the  open,  and  of  all  outdoor 
pursuits. 

It  was  the  mother  who  moulded  the  spiritual 
nature  of  the  children.  Intelligent,  kind,  and 
gracious,  she  created  an  atmosphere  in  which  they 
grew  up  good  without  being  conscious  of  the 
process.  Discipline  was  enforced,  and  unquestion¬ 
ing  obedience  was  exacted  ;  they  were  trained 
indeed  in  Spartan  fashion  ;  but  behind  the  order 
and  restraint  were  the  love  and  service  of  a  mother. 
Her  teaching  did  not  vary  from  the  standard  of  the 
time.  David  was  nourished  on  traditional  lines, 
and  being  of  an  impressionable  nature  was  often 
affected  by  the  childish  visions  he  had  of  sin  and 
judgment  and  hell.  One  night,  when  he  was  little 
more  than  three  years  old,  he  awoke  in  terror  out 
of  a  dream,  leapt  from  his  bed,  and  rushed  to  his 
mother,  crying,  “  Mother,  mother  !  The  last  day 
is  coming,  and  I  am  a  bad  boy  !  ” 

Some  scenes  in  his  early  days  he  has  never 
forgotten.  One  was  of  the  Sunday  evening  gather¬ 
ings  by  the  fire— the  father,  tired  but  interested,  in 


14 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


the  arm-chair  at  one  side  ;  on  the  other  the  mother, 
bent  over  a  book,  the  children  lying  anywhere  and 
anyhow  on  the  rug  and  floor,  listening  to  the  sym¬ 
pathetic  voice  that  had  the  power  to  make  them 
laugh  or  cry.  Always  when  she  ceased  there  was 
a  chorus  of  “  More  !  more  !  ”  and  for  hours  the 
reading  would  go  on,  the  children  wandering  in 
fancy  through  enchanted  regions  or  obtaining 
fascinating  visions  of  men  and  nature  beyond  their 
doors.  Many  books  of  travel,  adventure,  bio¬ 
graphy,  and  history  were  gone  through  in  the 
course  of  the  years  :  a  favourite  volume  was  Dr. 
Livingstone’s  Travels ,  which  has  thrilled  so  many 
hearts  and  influenced  so  many  lives.  David’s 
eager  spirit  was  often  on  fire  with  tales  of  heroism 
and  devotion  ;  and  he  would  seize  a  book,  steal 
into  the  quiet  of  the  study,  and  putting  his  feet  up 
and  the  volume  on  his  knee,  would  read  and  read, 
and  dream  long  dreams. 

The  love  of  medicine  was  in  the  boy’s  blood, 
and  there  was  never  any  doubt  as  to  his  career. 
As  a  child  he  delighted  to  rise  early  in  order  to 
light  his  father’s  fire,  and  do  little  tasks  for  him. 
He  carried  court  plaster  in  his  pocket,  and  if  any 
accident  occurred  he  was  usually  first  on  the  spot. 
One  Sunday,  word  came  to  the  surgery  that  some 
excursionists  had  been  precipitated  over  a  bridge 
two  miles  out,  and  that  a  number  had  been  injured 
and  two  horses  killed.  David  was  due  at  the  Sun¬ 
day  school,  but  he  started  out  instantly  for  the 
scene,  and  knowing  all  the  short  cuts  across  the 
fields,  was  there  before  his  father,  who  was  aston¬ 
ished  to  find  him  assisting  the  victims.  On 


"  TORRANCE’S  BOY  ” 


15 


another  occasion,  when  a  railway  collision  occurred, 
he  was  in  the  thick  of  the  confusion  helping  the 
doctors.  They  all  knew  him  as  “  Torrance’s 
boy,”  and  would  pick  him  up  on  their  way  to  a  case. 
It  was  a  bitter  grief  to  him  that  when  he  was  down 
with  measles,  Mr.  Jackson,  the  minister  of  the  Free 
West  Church,  died  suddenly  in  the  pulpit,  and  he 
was  not  there  to  see  !  Ere  he  reached  his  teens  he 
was  assisting  his  father  in  the  dispensary,  and  was 
present  at  post-mortem  examinations.  With  the 
daring  of  youth,  he  sometimes  thought  the  work 
of  the  doctors  was  clumsily  done.  He  was,  how¬ 
ever,  somewhat  humiliated  once  when  a  play  was 
being  given  in  connection  with  the  school.  His 
part  was  that  of  a  doctor.  When  he  was  examining 
the  pulse  of  the  patient  he  lifted  the  wrong  hand, 
whereupon  the  visiting  teacher  of  elocution,  Mr. 
Moffat  (father  of  the  well-known  dramatist),  ex¬ 
claimed,  “  Dear  me,  boy ;  you  will  never  be  a 
doctor.” 

One  of  his  grand-uncles,  Robert  Watt,  who  lived 
in  Airdrie,  took  a  great  interest  in  Sunday  schools, 
and  established  a  ragged  school  class  in  the  town. 
Through  his  influence  David  became  what  he 
called  a  “  Sunday-school  boy,”  going  to  the  ragged- 
school  class  in  the  morning  and  the  ordinary 
class  in  the  Free  West  Church  in  the  afternoon,  and 
never  finding  attendance  tiresome.  According  to 
his  own  testimony,  however,  the  Sunday  school 
exercised  little  effect  on  his  life.  He  absorbed  a 
certain  amount  of  information,  but  his  spiritual 
nature  was  untouched.  At  both  schools,  the 
Shorter  Catechism  was  given  a  supreme  place,  but 


16 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


to  David  its  teaching  was  incomprehensible  :  its 
sole  interest  to  him  lay  in  its  stately  language,  which 
sounded  in  his  ears  like  the  roll  of  organ  music. 
To  this  day  he  thinks  it  a  mistake  to  give  young 
minds  their  first  knowledge  of  spiritual  truths  in  a 
medium  so  strange  and  unintelligible.  It  was  his 
mother  who  continued  to  stimulate  his  higher 
nature  and  show  him  by  example  and  precept  the 
beauty  of  holiness.  “  She  it  was,”  he  always  said, 
“  who  made  me  a  Christian  ;  she  influenced  me 
far  more  than  anyone  I  ever  knew.” 

He  also  owed  much  to  his  minister,  the  Rev.  J. 
A.  George,  M.A.,  the  successor  to  the  Mr.  Jackson 
who  died  suddenly  in  the  pulpit.  When  the  inci¬ 
dent  occurred  Mr.  George  was  acting  as  Chaplain  to 
the  Forces  at  Gibraltar,  and  in  his  leisure  time  smug¬ 
gling  Bibles  into  Spain.  One  day,  sitting  on  a  rock, 
he  took  out  a  newspaper  in  which  he  saw  a  notice 
of  the  death.  He  breathed  a  prayer  for  the  con¬ 
gregation  so  suddenly  bereaved.  Shortly  afterwards 
he  was  called  to  the  charge.  Torrance  always 
regarded  him  as  his  “  spiritual  father.”  His  teach¬ 
ing  was  complementary  to  that  given  in  the  home  ; 
it  was  simple,  loving,  human,  and  in  the  sunshine 
of  it  the  lad’s  heart  expanded  more  than  it 
would  have  done  under  a  system  of  forced  in¬ 
struction.  Mr.  George  recalls  how  his  bright 
eager  face  and  curly  head  always  attracted  him 
in  the  classes,  and  how  when  he  asked  a  question 
it  was  invariably  David  who  was  ready  first  with 
the  answer. 

At  the  Academy,  where  he  obtained  all  his 
schooling,  he  was  not  a  specially  studious  boy,  but 


STUDENT  DAYS 


17 


being  quick  and  intelligent  he  never  experienced 
any  difficulty  with  his  lessons  ;  they  were  learnt 
almost  at  a  glance,  and  then  off  he  would  go  to  the 
large  playing  field  in  front  of  the  School  or  to  choir 
practice — for  he  inherited  the  musical  ability  of  his 
mother  or  to  his  bench  of  tools.  That  the  in¬ 
struction  given  was  thorough,  was  demonstrated 
by  the  fact  that  his  comrades,  like  himself,  passed 
on  to  honourable  careers.1 


III.  STUDENT  DAYS 
1878-84 

When  David  was  sixteen  years  of  age  his  father 
died,  and  as  the  older  sons  were  already  at  work 
in  Glasgow,  Mrs.  Torrance  removed  there  in  the 
belief  tiiat  she  would  be  better  able  to  carry  on  the 
home  and  continue  the  education  of  the  other 
children.  Young  as  he  was,  David  sat  at  once  for 
the  preliminary  examination  in  Medicine,  and, 
passing  in  all  the  subjects,  began  his  studies  at  the 
University.  He  was  determined  not  to  be  a  burden 
on  his  mother,  and  while  attending  the  classes, 
he  tutored  other  students  in  Arts  and  accepted  a 
position  in  the  Public  Dispensary.  Unluckily  the 
hour  for  starting  work  there  synchronized  with  the 

1  Amongst  his  surviving  companions  are  W.  Malcolm, 

Director  of  Education  for  the  County  of  Lanark  ;  ex-Provost  J.  Knox  ; 
Hon.  Sheriff- Substitute  of  Lanarkshire  ;  ex-Provost  J.  Orr;  and  Rev, 
David  Frew,  D.D.,  Urr, 


18 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


time  when  a  University  class  finished,  but  sitting 
near  the  door  of  the  classroom  he  Hew  out  the 
moment  the  lecture  terminated  and  raced  along  to 
the  Dispensary. 

He  toiled  hard,  and  at  times  the  struggle  was 
severe,  but  he  had  other  interests  which  relieved 
the  strain  and  kept  his  mind  fresh  ;  he  played 
football,  worked  with  his  hands,  and  attended  the 
Church  and  University  choirs.  Looking  back  in 
after-life  to  this  period,  he  mourned  the  oppor¬ 
tunities  he  had  lost  of  acquiring  a  more  general 
knowledge  of  literature.  He  was  too  young  then, 
however,  to  be  aware  of  its  value  as  an  element  in 
his  intellectual  equipment.  Later,  when  his  mind 
broadened,  and  he  began  to  hunger  for  wider 
culture,  the  pressure  of  his  daily  activities  prevented 
him  gratifying  his  longing  as  fully  as  he  wished  to  do. 

He  was  fortunate  again  in  his  minister,  the 
Rev.  J.  M.  Sloan  of  Anderston  Free  Church,  who 
had  the  gift  of  attracting  young  men  and  an  in¬ 
tuitive  insight  into  their  character  and  needs. 
The  elders  were  also  a  fine  body  and  interested  in 
the  young  people  of  the  congregation.  So  excellent 
always  were  the  debates  at  the  Literary  Society  that 
Torrance  preferred  to  attend  them  rather  than  the 
meetings  of  the  Dialectic  Society  at  the  University. 

His  spiritual  nature  continued  to  develop 
normally  in  this  congenial  atmosphere  until  a  talk 
with  a  fellow-student  brought  him  up  against  the 
problem  of  conversion.  For  the  first  time  he 
realized  that  there  was  a  technical  method  of  salva¬ 
tion,  and  he  thought  it  his  duty  to  go  through  the 
process.  In  the  gladness  of  the  experience  he 


STUDENT  DAYS 


19 


went  about  telling  every  one  that  he  was  con¬ 
verted  —  every  one  except  his  mother.  Several 
lapses  from  the  perfection  of  conduct  he  had  been 
promised  brought  unhappiness,  and  he  gradually 
returned  to  his  ordinary  attitude  of  mind.  No 
mechanical  change  of  life  was  necessary  in  his  case  ; 
he  had  been  born  into  the  life  of  the  spirit  through 
his  mother’s  love  and  piety,  and  the  course  of  his 
aspiration  and  action  had  been,  from  the  beginning, 
definitely  in  the  right  direction.  His  mother  was 
still  his  guiding  star,  drawing  him  upward  towards 
the  highest  and  best.  When  he  joined  the  Church, 
she  sat  beside  him  at  his  first  Communion  and  cried 
softly  in  her  joy.  He  became  a  teacher  in  the 
Sunday  school,  took  part  in  the  various  activities 
of  the  congregation,  and  exercised  an  inspiring 
influence  on  the  young  people.  Forty  years  after, 
there  came  to  him,  with  a  contribution  for  his  work, 
a  letter  from  the  superintendent  of  a  Sunday  school 
in  Glasgow,  which  gives  a  glimpse  of  these  days  : 

“  Do  you  remember  boys  who,  in  your  student  days,  lived 
at  West  Garden  Street,  Glasgow,  whom  you  patiently  used  to 
help  with  their  lessons — boys  who  often  tried  your  patience 
sorely  ?  Do  you  remember  these  young  rascals  coaxing  you 
out  to  teach  them  how  to  ride  a  high  bicycle,  and  how  one  of 
them  fell  off  on  his  head  ?  Do  you  remember  taking  us  out 
to  your  house  and  showing  us,  among  other  things,  a  skull,  and 
going  with  us  a  botanical  expedition  to  Possil  Marsh  ?  Little 
did  you  think  how,  in  spite  of  fun  and  frolic,  these  boys  wrere 
being  influenced  by  you  for  life.  Both  my  brother  and  I  are 
in  the  King’s  service  trying  to  do  our  bit  for  Him.” 

Towards  the  close  of  his  student  days,  Mr.  Sloan 
met  him  one  day  in  the  hall  of  the  church  and  said  ; 


20 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


“  Davie,  have  you  ever  thought  of  being  a 
medical  missionary  ?  ” 

The  lad  looked  inquiringly  at  him  for  a  moment. 
“  Yes,”  he  replied.  “  I  have  thought  of  that 
amongst  other  things.” 

“  Then  I  gather  you  are  not  sure  ?  ” 

“  Yes.  I  want  to  use  my  life  to  the  best  purpose, 
but  I  don’t  know  yet  what  I  am  best  fitted  for.” 

Mr.  Sloan  considered. 

“  Well,”  he  said,  “  come  home  with  me  and 
have  a  talk.” 

They  discussed  the  matter  at  length. 

“  What  I  don’t  want  to  do,”  remarked  Torrance, 
“  is  to  put  medicine  on  the  level  of  a  money-making 
business — to  use  it  merely  as  the  means  of  piling 
up  wealth.  I  don’t  want  to  make  the  earning  of 
money  my  principal  aim.  What  I  have  in  my 
mind  is  some  salaried  appointment  where  I  could 
do  good  without  the  thought  of  money  influencing 
me.  I  would  be  willing  to  do  anything  and  go 
anywhere  if  I  were  only  sure  it  were  the  right 
thing  for  me.” 

Mr.  Sloan  then  came  to  the  point.  “  The 
Jewish  Mission  Committee  of  the  Free  Church 
are  looking  out  for  a  Medical  Missionary  for  their 
station  at  Constantinople  —  would  you  not  go 
through  to  Edinburgh  and  see  the  Secretary  ?  ” 

Torrance  had  no  more  knowledge  of  the  Jews 
than  the  average  member  of  the  community,  and 
was  not  specially  interested  in  them.  In  his  mind 
they  merely  formed  part  of  the  general  missionary 
problem.  The  claims  of  the  ordinary  heathen 
world  appealed  to  him  more  strongly,  but  he  was 


STUDENT  DAYS 


21 


willing  to  consider  any  branch  of  the  work,  and 
ready  to  obey  the  Divine  call  when  it  should  come 
to  him.  He  decided  to  go  to  Edinburgh. 

The  position,  he  found,  involved  the  running 
of  a  dispensary,  and  in  his  state  of  mind  then,  the 
idea  of  selling  medicines  was  repugnant  to  him. 
“  I  am  afraid  the  thing  will  not  suit  me,”  he  said. 

The  Secretary,  who  had  looked  him  up  and 
down,  replied,  “  No,  I  quite  agree  ;  you  are  far 
too  young.” 

Torrance  was  conscious  enough  of  his  youthful 
appearance.  He  was  but  twenty  when,  in  1883, 
after  being  amongst  the  first  in  all  the  classes,  he 
passed  his  final  examination.  As  he  could  not 
graduate  until  he  was  twenty-one,  he  filled  in  the 
interval  as  assistant  to  a  Glasgow  doctor.  That  he 
might  look  older  and  graver,  he  bought  a  silk  hat 
and  a  surtout  coat,  but  despite  these  dignified 
habiliments  his  patients  thought  him  ridiculously 
young. 

After  graduating,  he  applied  for  the  position 
of  a  ship’s  surgeon,  and  joined  the  Bolivia  of  the 
Anchor  Line.  On  the  passage  down  the  Clyde,  a 
violent  shock  nearly  threw  him  out  of  his  berth  : 
the  steamer  had  run  on  some  obstruction,  and, 
severely  holed,  was  beginning  to  sink.  The  pas¬ 
sengers  were  taken  off,  and  Torrance  was  trans¬ 
ferred  to  the  Anchoria ,  in  which  he  made  the  voyage 
to  New  York.  In  the  midst  of  sight-seeing  there, 
he  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  J.  Hood  Wilson* 
vice-convener  of  the  Jewish  Mission  Committee, 
who  had  just  returned  from  a  visit  to  Palestine, 
and  was  keen  for  mission  work  being  begun  in 


22 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Galilee.  He  had  heard  of  Torrance  as  a  promising 
student  who  might  decide  for  medical  service  abroad. 
“  Do  not,”  he  wrote,  “  be  lured  by  the  attractive 
openings  for  America  ;  come  and  see  the  Committee 
before  you  make  any  plans  for  the  future.” 

On  landing  in  Scotland,  Torrance  found  that 
the  talk  in  the  Church  was  all  of  the  Jews.  There 
had  been  a  recrudescence  of  violent  persecution 
in  Russia,  accompanied  by  atrocities  and  massacres 
which  had  sent  a  thrill  of  horror  through  Western 
communities.  Refugees  flying  from  the  scene  were 
being  assisted  by  their  wealthy  co-religionists,  and 
many  were  settling  in  other  lands.  A  large  number 
were  flocking  to  Safed,  in  Palestine,  and  the  time 
seemed  opportune  for  starting  a  medical  mission 
there.  With  this  in  mind,  several  of  the  leading 
members  of  the  Jewish  Mission  Committee  of  the 
Free  Church  asked  Torrance  to  meet  them.  After 
explaining  the  situation,  they  asked  him  : 

4  Are  you  prepared  to  go  out  there  and  under¬ 
take  the  work  ?  ” 

44  I  cannot  answer  on  the  spur  of  the  moment,” 
he  replied.  44  I  have  never  heard  of  Safed  and 
know  nothing  about  it.  I  will  need  to  hunt  up 
some  information  and  think  over  the  matter. 
Besides,  I  have  had  no  breathing-time  yet,  and  I  feel 
my  professional  ignorance.  I  don’t  know  enough. 
I  want  Infirmary  experience,  and  I  want  also  to  go 
to  Vienna.” 

Aware  of  his  brilliant  attainments  and  his  skill, 
already  demonstrated,  as  a  surgeon,  his  interro¬ 
gators  liked  his  modesty  and  respected  his  desire 
to  perfect  his  medical  education.  In  view  of  the 


STUDENT  DAYS 


23 


information  which  they  had  just  received,  that  the 
Church  Missions  to  Jews  intended  to  reoccupy 
Safed,  they  thought  it  would  be  expedient  first  to 
make  a  survey  of  the  field,  and  if  Torrance  were 
sent  out  for  the  purpose  he  would  gain  a  practical 
knowledge  of  the  conditions  and  might  be  attracted 
by  the  opportunities  presented. 

“  Will  you  go  out  to  Galilee  as  our  deputy 
and  study  the  matter  on  the  spot  ?  ”  they  inquired. 

He  could  not  conceal  his  astonishment — they 
were  asking  a  youth  who  was  entirely  without 
experience  to  investigate  a  difficult  situation  and 
decide  a  Church  question  of  vital  importance. 

“  That,”  he  replied  quietly,  “  is  not  possible. 
It  would  not  do  for  me  to  go  alone.” 

“  Would  you  go  along  with  Mr.  Sloan  ?  ” 

“  No — it  would  not  be  fair  :  he  would  influence 
me  :  his  mind  would  dominate  mine.  How  could 
I  go  against  his  opinion  ?  ” 

“  Wells  of  Pollokshields,”  some  one  suggested  ; 

“  would  he  do  ?  ” 

Dr.  Wells  was  a  seasoned  traveller  and  one  whose 
judgment  could  be  relied  on. 

“  Certainly,”  replied  Torrance. 

The  name  of  Dr.  Laidlaw,  Superintendent  of 
the  Glasgow  Medical  Mission,  and  a  trained 
medical  missionary,  was  added  ;  and  as  there  was 
no  time  to  lose  if  the  travelling  season  in  Palestine 
were  to  be  utilized,  all  arrangements  were  made 
by  telegraph,  and  on  25th  February  1884,  a  few 
days  after  the  meeting,  the  party  set  out.  Dr. 
Torrance’s  kit  consisted  simply  of  a  knapsack  and  a 
hold-all. 


24 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


IV.  PROSPECTING 
1884 

On  board  the  steamer  in  the  Mediterranean  was 
a  Jew  to  whom  the  party  introduced  themselves. 
Torrance  studied  him  with  peculiar  interest.  In 
appearance  and  manner  he  was  unlike  the  type 
with  which  the  popular  mind  was  obsessed.  He 
was  very  friendly,  and  discussed  the  position  of  his 
race  and  its  beliefs  with  frank  sincerity.  Two 
fundamental  principles,  he  said,  governed  his 
people  :  faith  in  God,  and  an  obligation  to  obey 
the  moral  law.  Christ,  in  his  view,  was  inspired, 
and  had  accomplished  untold  good  by  disseminat¬ 
ing  a  truer  knowledge  of  God.  “  After  all,”  he 
declared,  “  there  is  not  much  difference  between 
us  ;  we  are  brothers  who  look  at  matters  from 
different  standpoints,  but  essentially  we  occupy 
the  same  ground.”  Torrance  listened  to  his  quiet 
and  assured  statements  with  mixed  feelings.  For 
the  first  time  he  began  to  realize  what  mission 
work  among  the  Jews  would  mean  ;  obviously 
the  line  of  approach  to  them  would  have  to  be  of 
an  altogether  different  character  from  that  adopted 
in  the  case  of  heathen  races. 

He  saw  Egypt  with  a  shock  of  surprise.  Here, 
close  to  Europe,  was  a  world  utterly  unlike  the 
dingy  and  conventional  civilization  to  which  he 
had  been  accustomed.  This  land,  bathed  in 
brilliant  sunshine,  with  its  horizons  fretted  by  dome 
and  minaret,  and  with  its  people  in  picturesque 


PROSPECTING 


25 


Oriental  costume,  the  men  in  blue-and-white  robes 
and  scarlet  turban,  driving  camels  or  tilling  the 
level  fields  ;  the  women,  veiled  and  mysterious, 
with  water  jars  gracefully  poised  on  their  shoulders 
— it  took  him  into  one  of  the  dream  regions  of  his 
childhood :  it  was  a  vision  of  conditions  that 
seemed  to  belong  to  a  period  thousands  of  years  in 
the  past. 

The  travellers  proceeded  to  Cairo,  visited  the 
bazaars  and  the  Pyramids,  and  from  Port  Said 
went  on  by  steamer  to  Jaffa,  where  they  landed  on 
9th  March.  Next  day  at  sunrise  they  set  out  by 
carriage  for  the  hill  country  of  Judea,  crossing  the 
arable  plains  where  peasantry  in  cotton  shirts  or 
goatskin  sacks  were  working  with  wooden  ploughs 
drawn  by  camels,  and  began  to  climb  the  tre¬ 
mendous  natural  glacis  guarding  the  height  on 
which  Jerusalem  is  built.  As  they  wound  their 
way  up  the  wilderness  of  rocks  they  noticed  on  the 
slopes  traces  of  terraces  that  had  once  borne  a 
wealth  of  vines  and  olives,  but  were  now  part  of  the 
ruined  waste.  The  only  note  of  colour  in  the  grey 
desolation  was  an  occasional  tree  vividly  green  in 
the  sunshine  or  a  cluster  of  scarlet  anemones  or 
poppies. 

When  they  reached  Jerusalem,  that  “  city  of 
stone  in  a  land  of  iron  with  a  sky  of  brass,”  they 
had  only  fleeting  glimpses  of  its  outward  aspects 
as  they  prepared  to  leave  for  the  north  the  same 
afternoon.  They  decided  to  travel  on  foot,  and  at 
the  hotel  a  dragoman,  or  guide,  was  engaged  to 
accompany  them.  Their  baggage  was  piled  upon 
a  donkey  which  seemed  overburdened  with  the 


26 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


load.  “  We  cannot  allow  that,”  said  Dr.  Laidlaw, 
whose  sympathies  were  aroused  on  behalf  of  the 
animal.  44  My  dear  sir,”  replied  the  hotel-keeper, 
44  you  go  on,  and  before  you  are  away  an  hour  you 
will  see  the  man  on  the  top  of  the  donkey  as  well  !  ” 
Which  proved  to  be  the  case. 

They  discovered  that  walking  over  the  rough 
backbone  of  Judea  was  more  strenuous  work  than 
they  had  imagined.  There  was  no  shade,  the  fierce 
sun  beat  mercilessly  down,  the  reflection  from  the 
white  track  was  blinding.  When  the  mist  came 
down  early  in  the  evening  they  were  glad  to  rest 
for  the  night  at  the  Christian  village  of  Ramallah. 
With  less  enthusiasm  they  set  out  next  morning, 
traversing  a  land  teeming  with  historical  associations 
— it  was  as  if  they  were  walking  through  the  Bible 
— but,  footsore  and  weary,  and  consumed  with 
thirst,  their  one  idea  as  they  trudged  along  was  to 
see  the  end  of  their  journey.  Even  Jacob’s  Well 
and  Joseph’s  Tomb  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Gerizim 
and  Mount  Ebal  failed  to  interest  them,  for  there 
between  the  two  hills  lay  Nablous  (Shechem)  and 
a  lodging  for  the  night.  Stumbling  in  the  dark 
through  narrow  and  filthy  thoroughfares  they 
found  the  house  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society’s 
agent,  and  knocked  him  up.  He  was  suspicious 
and  wary,  and  had  to  be  assured  of  their  goodwill 
and  identity  before  he  would  open  the  door. 

All  three  next  morning  rebelled  against  con¬ 
tinuing  the  journey  on  foot,  but  as  no  horses  could 
be  procured  they  had  to  be  content  with  donkeys. 
Before  the  day  was  over  they  came  to  the  con¬ 
clusion  that  donkey-riding  was  no  improvement  on 


PROSPECTING 


27 


walking.  They  arrived  at  Jenin  dead  beat.  The 
only  accommodation  was  a  native  hut,  the  door  of 
which,  being  without  a  lock,  they  barricaded  with 
their  baggage.  But  their  real  enemies  were  within 
in  the  shape  of  hordes  of  insects.  A  sleepless  night 
was  well  on  its  way  when  a  noise  outside  attracted 
their  attention.  If  it  signified  robbers  they  had 
nothing  but  umbrellas  with  which  to  defend  them¬ 
selves.  Peremptory  knocking  and  a  demand  for 
admittance  roused  their  wrath.  44  Who  are  you  ?  ” 
they  cried.  4 4  The  police  ;  we  want  to  see  your 
passports.”  “  What  they  really  want,”  remarked 
an  experienced  member  of  the  party,  44  is  bakh¬ 
shish,”  which  turned  out  to  be  correct. 

They  were  early  astir,  and,  after  crossing  the 
wide  plain  of  Esdraelon,  they  climbed  the  stony 
track  which  led  to  Nazareth.  As  they  came  to  the 
Virgin’s  Well,  situated  on  the  highway  leading 
through  the  town,  a  boy  cantered  up  to  them. 
“  Are  you  Dr.  Wells  ?  ”  he  asked,  looking  from  one 
to  the  other.  44  We  are,”  was  the  prompt  and 
hopeful  reply.  44  Dr.  Vartan  expects  you  up  at 
his  house.”  Dr.  Vartan  had  been  the  agent  of  the 
Edinburgh  Medical  Missionary  Society  since  1866. 
44  Where  is  it  ?  ”  they  inquired.  The  boy  pointed 
up  to  the  high  ridge  to  a  house  which  overlooked 
the  town  as  a  pulpit  overlooks  a  congregation. 
When  they  reached  it  they  found  their  troubles  at 
an  end. 

Dr.  Vartan  was  by  birth  an  Armenian  though 
a  naturalized  British  subject,  and  had  married  a 
cousin  of  Dr.  Stewart  of  Lovedale,  the  daughter 
of  a  Perthshire  minister.  44  Their  home,”  it  is  said, 


28 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


“  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  any  man  is  privileged 
to  enter.  The  traditional  hospitality  of  the  Scottish 
Highlands  blended  with  that  of  the  ancient  Orient. 
It  was  natural  for  younger  missionaries  in  the  country 
to  turn  thither  in  weariness  and  sickness,  and  many 
there  are  who  can  never  forget  the  gracious  and 
kindly  care  so  richly  lavished  upon  them.”  In 
this  atmosphere  of  comfort  and  peace  the  travellers 
rested  for  several  days.  Dr.  Vartan  would  not 
hear  of  the  tour  being  continued  under  the  old 
conditions.  He  organized  a  caravan  and  com¬ 
missariat,  and  when  they  left  on  horseback  he  and  a 
colporteur  accompanied  them. 

They  visited  the  coast,  inspected  Haifa  and  Acre, 
and  turned  inland  over  a  little-frequented  road  to 
Safed.  One  evening  they  arrived  at  a  little  old- 
world  village,  where  they  found  a  number  of  peasant 
Jews  who  could  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the 
ordinary  fellahin.  They  were  received  by  the 
sheikh,  who  provided  them  with  accommodation. 

It  was  soon  noised  abroad  that  “  English 
doctors  ”  had  arrived,  and,  towards  sunset,  came  the 
sick  and  suffering,  the  halt  and  blind,  the  deaf  and 
dumb — an  eager  crowd  hastening  along  the  streets 
and  over  the  flat  roofs,  and  filling  the  little  apart¬ 
ment  and  the  precincts  of  the  building.  The 
doctors  first  cleared  the  room,  allowing  only  the 
Jewish  rabbi  and  two  Greek  priests  to  remain,  and 
then  attended  to  the  patients.  “  It  was  like  the 
story  of  Christ,”  said  Dr.  Torrance.  “  We  could 
not  put  our  hands  on  them  as  He  did,  but  we  did 
what  we  could.”  To  him  the  scene  was  an  extra¬ 
ordinary  demonstration  of  the  need  for  medical 


PROSPECTING 


29 


missions.  “  If  this  is  a  sample  of  what  prevails, 
there  must  be  a  tremendous  mass  of  sickness  and 
suffering  in  the  land.”  It  was  the  first  incident 
that  had  touched  his  professional  sympathy,  and  it 
made  a  profound  impression  on  his  imagination 

Five  hours’  rough  climbing  brought  them  to 
Safed.  The  streets  were  indescribably  filthy  ;  they 
waded  through  a  slough  of  muck  right  up  to  the 
doors  of  the  British  and  French  Consuls,  who  were 
Jews.  When  they  expressed  their  feelings  on  the 
subject  to  the  Turkish  Governor  of  the  town,  he 
replied,  “  What  can  be  done  with  people  who 
carry  home  fish  and  flesh  in  their  pockets  or  in  their 
hats  upon  their  heads  !  ”  The  travellers  were 
sickened  at  what  they  saw  in  the  Jewish  hospital, 
which  was  full  of  old,  ragged  exiles  from  many 
countries  who  had  come  there  to  die,  and  they 
turned  from  it  in  disgust. 

Next  day  they  rode  down  a  precipitous  stone 
gully  to  a  colony  at  the  base,  established  by  Jewish 
refugees  from  Rumania,  and  then  through  tracts 
of  wild  flowers  and  grass  growing  as  high  as  the 
horses’  heads,  to  the  ruins  of  Chorazin,  hidden 
amongst  rank  vegetation,  and  on  to  Capernaum  on 
the  lakeside,  a  mass  of  sculptured  masonry  lying 
amidst  a  tangled  confusion  of  thistles,  nettles,  and 
wild  mustard.  In  all  the  wide  landscape  they  saw 
only  a  number  of  black  tents,  some  boys  herding 
goats,  and  a  few  tattooed  bedouin  women.  No  road 
indicated  the  way  along  the  shore,  but  they  picked 
out  a  track  to  the  reputed  site  of  Bethsaida,  where 
they  found  a  few  families  and  an  old  boat,  and 
proceeded  through  weeds  and  thorny  bush  across 


30 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


the  plain  of  Gennesaret.  While  the  weather  was 
perfect  and  the  Lake  a  vision  of  beauty,  the  silence 
was  oppressive  ;  not  a  sound  broke  the  brooding 
stillness.  In  the  shadow  of  the  cliffs  as  the  hills 
advanced  again  to  the  shore,  they  came  to  the 
modern  Magdala,  a  wretched  settlement  of  mud 
huts  ;  and  a  few  miles  farther  south  they  entered 
Tiberias. 

This  town,  second  only  to  Jerusalem  in  the 
estimation  of  the  Jews,  proved  to  be  hot,  insanitary, 
and  overcrowded.  “  The  filth,”  said  Dr.  Torrance, 
“  could  scarcely  be  described.”  Hurried  visits 
were  paid  to  the  various  points  of  interest  in  the 
vicinity,  including  the  medicinal  hot-spring  baths 
and  the  region  on  the  east  side  of  the  Lake.  Every¬ 
where  patients  came  crowding  to  them.  In 
Tiberias,  Torrance  estimated  that  there  was  more 
work  than  ten  doctors  could  get  through  ;  it  was 
the  neediest  spot  he  had  seen.  “  If,”  he  said,  “  one 
wishes  to  alleviate  misery  and  sow  happiness  in  the 
world,  this  is  the  place  for  him.”  The  rabbis  said 
they  would  be  glad  to  have  a  hakim,  or  doctor,  the 
nearest  whom  they  could  call  being  Dr.  Vartan, 
at  Nazareth,  fifteen  miles  away  in  the  hills. 

Riding  back  under  more  comfortable  conditions 
to  Jerusalem,  the  party  had  a  consultation  with  the 
English  missionaries  there.  The  staff  of  the  Church 
Missions  to  Jews  did  not  favour  a  second  mission 
in  Safed.  Nor  would  they  recommend  Tiberias  ; 
no  missionary,  they  declared,  would  be  able  to 
exist  long  in  such  a  tropical  furnace.  The  deputa¬ 
tion  was  invited  to  visit  Hebron,  which,  it  was 
suggested,  might  prove  a  suitable  and  convenient 


PROSPECTING 


31 


sphere  for  a  Scottish  Mission  ;  and  accordingly 
they  travelled  to  the  town.  In  the  Jewish  inn 
in  which  they  put  up,  one  room  and  one  bed  were 
allotted  to  the  three.  The  bed  fell  to  Torrance, 
who  spent  the  night  in  purgatorial  unrest.  But 
the  others  were  no  better  off.  Dr.  Laidlaw  rose 
from  his  mat,  placed  two  chairs  together,  and 
lay  on  these  for  the  remainder  of  the  night. 

After  visiting  Bethlehem,  Bethany,  the  Dead 
Sea,  and  Jericho,  the  party  returned  to  Jaffa,  and 
here  Dr.  Torrance  parted  company  from  the 
others  and  proceeded  home  by  Alexandria  and 
Rome. 

At  Paris  he  found  a  letter  offering  him  the 
position  of  House  Surgeon  in  Glasgow  Infirmary, 
one  of  the  prizes  of  the  profession,  and  wrote 
accepting  it.  He  entered  on  his  duties  immediately 
on  reaching  Scotland. 

The  brief  reports  of  the  deputies,  supplemented 
by  their  speeches  in  the  General  Assembly  of  1884 — 
Dr.  Torrance  must  have  been  one  of  the  youngest 
speakers  who  had  ever  faced  that  body — showed 
that  Palestine  had  become  even  a  more  promising 
field  than  it  was  in  1839.  They  estimated  the  Jewish 
population  to  be  now  not  less  than  forty  thousand, 
and  it  was  steadily  increasing.  There  was  no  doubt 
that  it  was  the  beginning  of  a  movement  which 
would  result  in  the  recolonization  of  the  land. 
Agricultural  settlements  were  being  established, 
and  a  new  group  of  liberal  Jews  had  appeared, 
whose  aim  was  to  introduce  modern  education  and 
throw  off  the  irritating  trammels  of  rabbinism. 
“  This  is  the  body/’  said  Dr.  Laidlaw  with  prophetic 


32 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


insight,  '‘which  will  evolve  the  dominant  Jew  of 
the  future.  ”  Such  a  movement  would  probably 
lead  to  rationalism,  but  an  inquiring,  enlightened 
rationalism  was,  he  believed,  more  hopeful  than  a 
death-like  adherence  to  tradition,  and  it  would  give 
the  Christian  faith  an  opportunity  it  had  not 
hitherto  possessed. 

Jerusalem  was  ruled  out — “probably  no  other 
city  of  the  same  size,”  they  stated,  “  is  so  abun¬ 
dantly  provided  with  orphanages,  hospitals,  free 
medical  dispensaries,  and  all  sorts  of  charities.” 
So  also  was  Hebron,  not  only  because  of  its  con¬ 
tiguity  to  Jerusalem,  to  which  it  was  a  natural 
appendage,  but  because  the  number  of  Jews  in 
it  was  comparatively  small,  the  majority  of  the 
population  being  Moslems.  Safed  was  a  favourable 
though  difficult  field,  but  it  had  been  reoccupied 
by  the  Church  Missions  to  Jews.  On  the  whole, 
Tiberias  presented  the  best  possibilities.  “  We 
were  informed,”  they  said,  “  that  a  missionary 
would  probably  be  better  received  by  the  Jews 
there  than  by  others  in  Palestine.”  Unfortunately 
the  heat  of  summer  in  the  town  was  so  exhausting 
that  for  three  or  four  months  in  every  year  European 
missionaries  would  require  to  live  in  the  hills. 
Their  work  also  would  be  found  exacting  ;  there 
was  probably  no  harder  service  for  Christian 
activity  to  undertake,  and  the  Church  would  have 
to  guard  against  expecting  immediate  results. 

The  Church  quietly  and  confidently  accepted 
the  call  to  the  work,  and  on  the  Jewish  night  of 
the  General  Assembly,  the  “  Sea  of  Galilee  Medical 
Mission  ”  was  inaugurated. 


Map  of  Palestine,  with  Lake  Inset 


TIBERIAS 


E 


TOMB  OF  MAlMONIDCS 


Plan  of  Tiberias 


Distant  View  of  Tiberias 


PROSPECTING 


33 


The  Committee,  however,  had  not  yet  secured 
their  missionary.  They  had  been  pressing  Torrance 
to  accept  the  appointment,  and  he  had  been  reading 
up  the  subject  of  missions  to  the  Jews  and  studying 
the  general  Jewish  situation.  But  he  was  still 
undecided,  and  was  undergoing  an  experience  which 
comes  to  most  men  in  their  lives.  He  was  endur¬ 
ing  his  temptation  in  the  wilderness.  There  was 
strong  family  opposition  to  the  Palestine  plan, 
which  meant  burying  himself  in  obscurity,  and  he 
was  urged  to  employ  his  exceptional  ability  in  a 
sphere  where  it  would  be  recognized  and  adequately 
rewarded.  His  own  inclination  was  to  do  this  ; 
he  was  conscious  of  lacking  professional  knowledge 
and  experience  ;  he  desired  to  study  in  the  medical 
schools  of  the  Continent  ;  he  had  the  natural 
ambition  to  make  the  utmost  of  whatever  gifts 
he  possessed,  and  he  felt  within  him  the  power  to 
achieve  success  and  fame.  So,  from  the  high 
mountain  of  his  imagination  he  saw  the  Kingdom 
that  might  be  his  and  the  glory  of  it. 

On  the  other  hand,  he  had  seen  Palestine  ; 
and,  worn-out  and  burnt-up  land  though  it  was,  it 
possessed  in  its  very  loneliness  and  desolation  a 
quality  of  beauty  and  a  fascination  which  drew  him 
like  a  spell.  Greater  than  the  appeal  of  the 
country,  however,  was  that  of  its  people  with 
their  untended  ills  and  hopeless  suffering.  He 
felt  that  the  poorer  and  more  degraded  they  were, 
the  greater  was  their  need  of  healing  and  love. 
He  thought,  too,  of  the  honour  of  being  the 
first  Christian  physician  to  walk  in  the  footsteps 
of  Jesus  round  the  Galilean  Lake,  and  of  the 
3 


34 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


possibility  of  building  the  first  Christian  hospital 
on  its  shore. 

The  matter  was  not  long  in  doubt :  he  sur¬ 
rendered  to  the  higher  service,  and  signified  his 
choice.  He  was  appointed  to  Tiberias  in  June 
1884,  and,  completing  his  term  at  the  Infirmary, 
he  sailed  on  2nd  December  from  Liverpool. 


V.  NAZARETH 
1884-85 

His  journey  on  this  occasion  was  not  without 
adventure.  After  studying  Jewish  and  Moslem 
missions  in  Egypt — a  field  in  which  he  became 
deeply  interested — he  took  steamer  to  Haifa.  At 
Jaffa  he  went  ashore  to  view  the  town.  As  the 
boatman  was  rowing  him  back  he  was  surprised  to 
see  the  vessel  moving  out  to  sea.  No  attention 
was  paid  to  his  signals,  and  he  returned  to  the 
jetty  with  nothing  but  a  waterproof  in  his  possession. 
Sending  a  telegram  to  the  Vice-Consul  at  Haifa  to 
have  his  luggage  brought  on  shore  there,  he  went 
to  the  hotel  in  the  German  colony  and  arranged 
for  a  horse  to  be  ready  for  him  at  three  o’clock  next 
morning.  His  anxiety  made  his  slumber  light,  and 
when  the  hour  passed  and  no  call  came,  he  rose  and 
sought  out  the  muleteer  who  was  to  accompany 
him.  “  I  want  something  to  eat,”  he  said.  The 
man  knew  but  little  English,  and  the  Doctor  had 
by  signs  to  indicate  his  need.  “  All  sleeping,”  was 


NAZARETH 


35 


the  response.  “  Bread,  then  :  bring  me  bread,”  the 
Doctor  demanded,  and  the  man  went  off  to  forage. 
He  returned  with  two  small  cakes.  The  Doctor 

looked  at  them  with  disgust.  “  Brinp-  me  a  dozen  ” 
he  said. 

The  journey  to  Haifa  usually  took  two  days, 
but  the  Doctor  was  determined  to  be  there  that 
night.  A  tedious  and  fatiguing  ride  along  a  broken 
track  and  sandy  plains  and  through  malarious 
swamps  brought  them  to  Caesarea,  the  once  mag¬ 
nificent  seaport,  now  a  wretched  settlement  of 
refugee  aliens.  Farther  on  they  reached  a  river 
inlet  which  was  too  deep  to  ford.  A  search  along 
the  banks  revealed  a  fisherman,  who  guided  them 
across  at  a  part  where  the  water  came  up  to  the 
chin  of  the  little  muleteer.  Late  at  night  they 
arrived  at  Haifa,  half-dead  from  weariness,  hunger, 
and  thirst.  Riding  straight  to  the  residence  of  the 
Vice-Consul  the  Doctor  knocked  loudly  and  long, 
but  the  household  was  asleep  and  there  was  no 
response.  When  he  returned  in  the  morning  it 
was  to  find  that  the  telegram  he  had  dispatched 
had  never  arrived.  His  baggage  had  gone  on 
farther  up  the  coast  with  the  steamer.  Being  in 
no  mood  to  remain  in  Haifa,  he  secured  a  carriage 
and  proceeded  across  the  plains  and  over  the  hills 
to  Nazareth,  where,  destitute  though  he  was,  he 
received  a  warm  welcome  from  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Vartan.  Lfntil  his  boxes  arrived  some  weeks  later 
they  provided  for  all  his  needs. 

Discussing  the  situation  with  his  hosts  he  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  impracticable 
to  begin  work  at  Tiberias  before  he  had  acquired 


36 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


some  knowledge  of  Arabic,  the  language  of  the 
country  ;  it  was  therefore  decided  that  he  should 
meantime  remain  at  Nazareth  as  Dr.  Vartan’s 
assistant.  It  was  not  easy  to  procure  a  teacher  ; 
education  was  not  common  in  those  days  ;  and 
the  only  man  available  was  a  Bible-reader  who  had 
never  been  at  school,  was  ignorant  of  grammar, 
and  could  not  even  speak  correctly.  With  him 
the  Doctor  began  regular  lessons. 

The  six  months  he  spent  in  Nazareth  was  a 
period  of  apprenticeship  without  which  he  could 
never  have  achieved  the  success  he  did.  He  was 
associated  with  one  who  knew  the  country  and  the 
people  intimately,  and  was  proficient  in  many 
branches  of  his  profession.  To  a  newcomer 
ignorant  of  the  East  and  its  subtleties  the  experi¬ 
enced  guidance  and  counsel  of  such  a  man  as  Dr. 
Vartan  was  priceless.  To  watch  his  methods  and 
note  his  faith  and  courage  and  perseverance  was  an 
education  and  an  inspiration.  Torrance  was  pro¬ 
foundly  impressed  with  the  manner  in  which  he 
fought  the  authorities  and  overcame  his  difficulties. 
For  he  had  more  than  the  ordinary  share  of  trouble. 
Although  a  naturalized  British  subject,  he  came 
under  the  Turkish  law,  which  deals  with  men 
according  to  their  nationality.  Property  had  also 
to  be  held  in  the  name  of  an  individual  and  not  of 
an  organization,  for  no  combination  was  allowed, 
and  he,  and  not  the  Edinburgh  Medical  Missionary 
Society,  was  responsible  for  the  mission  premises. 
The  Turks  were  opposing  his  work,  and  their 
hostility  had  culminated  in  their  taking  over  the 
house  and  ground  at  an  absurdly  low  valuation. 


NAZARETH 


37 


Dr.  Torrance  admired  his  forbearance  and  patience 
and  sought  to  interest  the  Committee  in  Scotland 
in  his  case. 

Nazareth,  where  Jesus  spent  the  greater  part  of 
His  life,  contained  much  to  interest  the  Doctor .  The 
town  itself  was  unclean,  the  streets  were  narrow  and 
crooked,  those  leading  up  the  hillsides  being  merely 
deep  watercourses,  but  from  the  ridges  that  circied 
it  about,  wonderful  views  could  be  obtained  of  far- 
stretching  country  rich  in  Biblical  associations. 
Always  the  eye  would  be  caught  by  some  out¬ 
standing  feature :  now  the  snow  cap  of  Mount 
Hermon,  now  the  dome  of  Mount  Tabor,  now  the 
green  plain  of  Esdraelon,  now  the  white  houses  of 
Safed,  now  the  gleam  of  silver  sea.  The  people 
were  not  without  attractive  qualities  :  many  were 
handsome,  the  women  especially  so,  and  the  boys 
and  girls,  with  their  clear  brown  skin  and  bright 
eyes  and  frank  smile,  won  their  way  easily  to  the 
Doctor’s  heart. 

Owing  to  the  number  of  missionary  agencies  in 
Nazareth  a  small  European  circle  existed  in  it.  T.  he 
representative  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society, 
the  Rev.  James  Huber,  had  already  spent  twenty- 
five  years  in  the  town  and  built  up  a  prosperous 
Church.  One  of  his  daughters  was  a  bright  and 
attractive  girl  named  Lydia.  Born  in  the  country, 
acquainted  with  the  language,  and  accustomed  to  the 
modes  of  thought  and  habits  of  the  people,  she  took 
a  warm  and  practical  interest  in  the  mission  work. 
With  her  Dr.  Torrance  inevitably  came  much  in 
contact,  and  the  result  was  a  foregone  conclusion  ;  in 
due  time  the  friendship  culminated  in  their  betrothal. 


88 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


The  Doctor  desired  to  increase  his  knowledge 
of  the  country  before  settling  down,  and  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  to  do  so  came  in  an  unexpected  way.  The 
Edinburgh  Medical  Missionary  Society  had  also  a 
mission  at  Damascus  in  charge  of  Dr.  Mackinnon, 
a  missionary  of  exceptional  force  of  character  and 
ability.  One  day  he  turned  up  at  Nazareth,  and 
he  and  Dr.  Torrance  proving  to  be  kindred 
spirits,  became  very  close  friends.  It  was  arranged 
that  when  he  returned  to  Damascus  Torrance  should 
accompany  him.  They  set  off  on  horseback,  with 
pack-animals  carrying  their  beds  and  pots  and  pans. 
On  the  way  they  endeavoured  to  climb  Mount 
Hermon.  For  hours  they  tramped  amongst  the 
snowfields,  a  white  desolation  save  for  the  presence 
of  an  occasional  bear  or  fox.  Night  overtook  them. 
On  returning  they  were  unable  to  find  their  horses, 
and  had  to  look  for  them  with  lighted  matches. 
When  they  reached  the  village  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain  they  learnt  that  a  search-party  had  been 
sent  out  after  them. 

Next  night  they  reached  the  mansion  of  a 
Druze  sheikh  of  princely  rank.  He  was  delighted 
to  see  them,  and  entertained  them  with  the  hospi¬ 
tality  for  which  the  race  is  noted,  fussing  over  them 
and  regaling  them  with  all  manner  of  food.  Two 
doctors  in  the  house — he  could  not  let  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  pass.  Both  he  and  his  wife  ate  recklessly, 
and  in  the  middle  of  the  night  the  doctors  were 
roused  from  their  sleep  to  find  two  patients  urgently 
requiring  their  attention  ! 

Further  going  was  slow  on  account  both  of  the 
rocky  and  precipitous  character  of  the  bridle-path 


NAZARETH 


39 


and  the  need  for  exercising  vigilance  against  robber 
bands  who  infested  the  district,  but  progress 
was  easier  when  they  reached  the  middle  plain  of 
Syria,  where  the  grass  was  as  soft  as  velvet,  and  the 
path  stretched  onwards  like  a  white  ribbon.  An 
Arab  khan  afforded  them  shelter  for  the  night,  but 
not  rest,  for  the  filth  was  too  malodorous,  and  the 
insects  too  numerous  for  comfort.  Damascus, 
the  eternal  city  of  the  plains,  with  its  kaleidoscopic 
*  life,  its  beauty  of  surroundings,  and  its  vigorous 
missions,  fascinated  Torrance,  and  he  was  loth  to 
leave  it.  Along  with  Mackinnon  he  travelled 
across  the  Lebanon  range  to  Bey  rout,  and  after 
studying  the  activities  of  the  great  American  College 
there,  he  returned  alone  to  Nazareth. 

The  tour  had  been  a  valuable  experience  from 
the  linguistic  point  of  view.  Syria  is  a  polyglot 
region,  and  as  he  had  Latin  as  a  basis,  and  knew 
French  and  German,  he  could  have  managed  very 
well,  but  his  aim  was  to  acquire  a  colloquial 
familiarity  with  Arabic,  and  he  forced  himself  to 
speak  it  on  every  possible  occasion,  so  that  he 
considerably  extended  his  acquaintance  with  the 
language. 

The  friendship  thus  begun  with  Dr.  Mackinnon 
continued  to  be  one  of  the  joys  of  his  life,  and  it 
influenced  him  in  minor  ways.  Up  to  this  time 
he  had  never  smoked,  but  noting  how  Mackinnon 
was  welcomed  everywhere  because  he  belonged 
to  the  fellowship  of  smokers,  he  took  to  the  habit 
and  became  as  much  addicted  to  it  as  his  friend. 

Anxious  now  to  make  a  beginning  in  Tiberias, 
he  paid  a  visit  to  the  town  with  Dr.  Vartan  to 


40 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


prospect  for  quarters.  The  public  health  was 
exceedingly  bad,  but  as  he  tramped  through  the 
overcrowded  and  insanitary  slums  his  wonder 
was  that  life  was  maintained  at  all.  Nothing 
was  said  about  settling  in  the  town,  but  some 
rumour  of  his  intention  had  evidently  reached 
the  ears  of  the  influential  men,  for  they  came  and 
begged  him  earnestly  to  remain.  It  was,  however, 
the  misery  of  the  poor  that  drew  out  his  com¬ 
passion  and  made  him  long  to  be  at  work. 

There  was  some  difficulty  in  securing  the 
tenancy  of  a  house,  and  it  was  only  through  Dr. 
Vartan’s  influence  and  wise  and  patient  handling 
01  the  authorities  that  the  matter  was  settled. 
Towards  the  end  of  1885  he  was  installed  and  left 
to  nis  own  devices.  For  the  first  time  he  was  in 
immediate  contact  with  the  people  to  whom  he 
had  been  sent  as  a  missionary. 


VI.  “  HIS  OWN  CITY  ” 

1885 

The  scene  of  his  life  service  was  a  town  which  was 
notable  on  account  of  both  its  situation  and  its 
romantic  history.  Tiberias  lies  in  the  deepest 
natural  trench  on  the  earth’s  surface.  As  the 
Jordan  flows  down  this  trench  from  the  base  of 
Mount  Hermon,  it  enters  and  fills  a  hollow  in  the 
Galilee  region  ;  this  is  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  the 
surface  of  which  is  680  feet  below  the  level  of 


44  HIS  OWN  CITY  ” 


41 


the  Mediterranean.  It  is  of  small  dimensions,  only 
13  miles  long  and  about  7  miles  at  its  greatest 
width,  and  in  spring,  when  the  hillsides  around 
are  green,  resembles  a  quiet  Scottish  loch.  But 
the  climate  is  more  than  tropical  in  its  character, 
the  temperature  often  rising  in  summer  to  no°  Fahr. 
and  even  1170  in  the  shade.  Yet  looking  up  from 
the  lakeside  one  can  sometimes  see  snow  falling 
on  the  Safed  hills,  and  for  a  large  part  of  the  year 
can  gaze  upon  it  as  it  lies  thick  upon  the  slopes  of 
Hermon. 

Tiberias,  on  the  edge  of  the  western  shore,  is 
now  the  only  town  on  the  Lake.  It  dates  from 
at  least  the  early  years  of  the  Christian  era  ;  it 
was  either  founded  or  rebuilt  by  Herod  Antipas, 
ruler  of  Galilee,  who  called  it  after  the  Emperor 
in  whose  favour  he  basked.  He  probably  chose 
the  site  on  account  of  a  basaltic  crag  which  pro¬ 
jected  from  the  hillside  behind,  and  formed  an 
ideal  situation  for  a  fort  to  command  it.  While 
clearing  the  ground  for  the  foundations,  a  burial- 
place  was  disturbed,  a  circumstance  which  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Jews  rendered  it  unclean,  and  prevented 
the  orthodox  from  living  in  it.  The  first  citizens 
therefore  were  largely  foreigners.  On  the  black 
rock  dominating  it,  Herod  built  his  castle  and 
palace. 

The  town  was  completed  and  occupied  previous 
to  Jesus  beginning  His  ministry.  Because  there  is 
no  mention  of  it  in  the  New  Testament  in  connection 
with  Him,  it  is  commonly  believed  that  He  never 
entered  it,  though  one  cannot  be  certain  of  this. 
After  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans, 


42 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


a  singular  reversal  of  Jewish  opinion  occurred  in 
regard  to  it.  From  being  despised  by  the  proud 
exponents  of  the  lav/,  it  developed  into  their 
favourite  resort.  In  it  were  established  the  San¬ 
hedrin  and  a  great  University,  and  it  became  the 
religious  centre  of  the  race.  Here  the  laws  and 
traditions  were  collected  and  codified  as  the  Mishna  ; 
here  also  the  Jerusalem  Talmud  was  completed. 
In  the  reign  of  Constantine  the  first  Christian 
Church  was  erected  in  it  ;  in  the  seventh  century 
it  was  taken  by  the  Arabs,  was  for  a  time  restored 
to  Christendom  by  the  Crusaders,  who  built  the 
castle  which  still  stands,  in  ruins,  and  in  the  twelfth 
century  was  repossessed  by  the  Arabs.  When  the 
Turks  conquered  the  land  in  the  sixteenth  century 
it  ceased  to  be  a  resort  of  the  Jews,  but  was  classed 
as  holy  and  placed  on  the  level  of  Jerusalem, 
Hebron,  and  Safed. 

Later,  the  city,  or  the  part  of  it  that  was  left, 
was  gradually  reoccupied  by  the  Jews,  most  of 
them  old  men  from  Northern  Africa  and  Europe 
who  came  to  die  in  it  in  the  belief  that  if  buried 
there  they  would  have  the  honour  of  greeting 
the  Messiah  when  He  appeared.  According  to  the 
accepted  tradition  He  would  rise  from  the  Lake, 
land  at  Tiberias,  and  establish  His  throne  at  Safed, 
which  explained  the  saying  that  while  it  was  good 
to  die  in  Safed  it  was  better  to  be  buried  at  Tiberias. 
The  famed  sulphurous  baths  also  drew  many  Jews 
to  the  spot,  while  the  graves  of  the  renowned  rabbis 
became  places  of  annual  pilgrimage. 

The  modern  town  was  a  huddle  of  buildings 
jammed  close  against  the  Lake,  the  line  of  houses 


43 


“  HIS  OWN  CITY  ” 

there  dipping  directly  into  the  water  ;  on  the  land¬ 
ward  side  it  was  enclosed  by  a  wall  except  where 
the  latter  had  been  shattered  by  an  earthquake  in 
1837.  The  streets  were  merely  narrow  lanes, 
roughly  cobbled  with  basalt  blocks,  down  the 
centre  of  which  ran  a  depression  for  rain  and 
sewage,  and  so  irregular  in  plan  and  broken  up  by 
narrower  passages  and  alleys  that  they  were  as 
labyrinthine  as  a  rabbit  warren.  In  the  main 
thoroughfares  the  buildings  were  two  or  three 
storeys  high,  and  along  the  basement  were  situated 
the  shops,  little  box-like  compartments  raised  about 
a  foot  from  the  ground  and  open  in  front. 

Through  these  crooked  avenues  surged  the 
tide  of  Tiberias  life.  Here  could  be  seen  the 
Turkish  official,  the  rich  effendi,  the  merchant, 
the  religious  devotee,  the  muleteer,  the  washer¬ 
woman  ;  pallid  men  in  long  silk  gowns  and  fur 
caps,  or  quaintly  cut  coats  and  wideawake  hats, 
with  lovelocks  hanging  down  their  cheeks  ;  tall, 
muscular  men  with  dark  flushed  skin  in  black  cloaks 
of  goats’  hair  and  white  cotton  skirts  drawn  together 
by  a  leathern  girdle  which  supported  a  knife  and 
pistol,  head-dress  of  yellow  cloth  that  flowed  down 
their  back  and  shoulders  and  was  kept  on  by  a 
rope  of  twisted  camel’s  hair,  and  on  their  feet 
sandals  of  various  shapes  ;  men  wearing  what 
looked  like  elaborate  gaudily-coloured  dressing- 
gowns  ;  men  with  sleeveless  waistcoat  and  zouave 
jacket  and  loose  pantaloons  gathered  in  at  the 
ankles  ;  men  in  white  tunics  and  full  sack  coat,  on 
their  head  a  turban  or  red  cloth  fez  or  tarbush 
with  black  silk  tassel,  and  on  their  feet  red  leather 


44 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


shoes  ;  men  in  military  dress  ;  men  in  smart  modern 
suits,  and  men  in  tatters  :  women,  too,  in  long 
robes  of  dark  blue  cotton  ;  others  in  a  blue  tunic 
with  wide  sleeves  and  girdle  of  red  cloth  and  red 
head-dress,  with  a  row  of  coins  across  the  brow  ; 
women  in  black  flowing  veils  ;  women  unveiled, 
their  faces  and  hands  tattooed  in  blue  ;  women  with 
dark  eyes  darkened  more  deeply  by  antimony  ; 
women  with  complexions  startlingly  pale,  women 
wrapped  in  the  most  beautiful  fabrics  and  accom¬ 
panied  by  attendants,  and  women  in  a  single  rag 
— all  jostling  one  another,  talking,  gesticulating, 
bargaining,  or  moving  in  dignified  silence. 

It  was  a  life  exposed  and  public.  Here  was  a 
man  being  shaved  in  a  corner  of  the  street  ;  here 
was  a  shoemaker  busily  at  work  with  half  a  dozen 
swarthy  men  watching  him  ;  next  him  was  a 
tinsmith  with  his  own  circle  ;  a  little  crowd 
listened  to  a  seller  of  cloth  as  he  ripped  off  samples 
and  cajoled  a  simple-minded  peasant  ;  here  was  a 
cafe  open  to  the  street  where  men  sat  and  smoked 
long  Oriental  pipes  ;  here  was  a  butcher  cutting 
out  sinews  from  the  meat  brought  to  him  by 
customers  ;  here  was  a  shopman  asleep  on  his  mat 
with  his  stock  of  oranges  and  potatoes  about  him  ; 
here  was  another  writing  a  letter  in  Arabic  for  a 
desert  Arab  who  stood,  with  his  camel,  beside  him. 

It  was  a  picturesque  scene,  but  these  people 
did  not  know  they  looked  picturesque  :  they  knew 
only  that  they  were  struggling  and  suffering  and 
sorrowing  like  the  rest  of  humanity.  Beneath  the 
brightness  and  quaintness  of  the  costumes,  and 
behind  the  chaffering  of  the  market-place,  there 


A  PAUPER  GHETTO 


45 


existed  the  sordidness,  the  care,  the  anxiety  common 
to  all  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  world.  An 
old  Jew  with  sad  eyes  passed  along,  passed  a  number 
of  men  playing  cards  outside  a  shop,  passed  a  girl 
in  deep  black  crouching  in  a  corner  sobbing,  passed 
children  romping  and  shouting — it  was  the  same 
human  nature  that  could  be  found  everywhere  ; 
only  here,  perhaps,  it  was  on  a  more  primitive  level. 
It  was  life  lived  in  squalor,  dirt,  ignorance  ;  and 
touched  occasionally  with  a  brutality  that  was  not 
far  from  savagery. 

Yet  a  life  not  without  the  hunger  for  higher 
things  and  a  homage  to  what  was  holy.  For  there, 
hidden  in  obscure  quarters,  were  the  synagogues ; 
and  there,  less  modestly  situated,  was  the  native 
Christian  Church  ;  and  there,  central  in  the 
town,  was  the  Moslem  mosque  with  its  white 
dome  gleaming  high  above  the  houses,  and  its  tall 
minaret  from  which  came  floating  down  to  the  people 
the  wailing  cry  of  the  muezzin  : 

Allahu  akbar  (repeated  thrice),  ashadu  an  la  ilaha  illa-lldh , 
ashadu  an  Mohammada  rasul-ulldh  (repeated  twice),  lyayya  ala - 
ssalah  (repeated  twice). 

“  Allah  is  great  :  I  bear  witness  that  there  is  no  deity  but 
Allah ,  I  bear  witness  that  Mohammad  is  the  apostle  of  Allah  : 
hasten  to  prayer” 


VII.  A  PAUPER  GHETTO 

What  the  exact  population  of  1  iberias  was  no  one 
knew,  but  the  Jews  estimated  the  number  of  their 
race  at  about  3500,  while  the  Moslems  claimed 


46 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


1500,  and  the  Christians  a  few  hundred.  Between 
five  and  six  thousand  persons  were  penned  into  a 
space  hardly  capable  of  holding  half  that  number. 

The  Jews  were  divided  into  two  well-defined 
parties,  the  Sephardim  and  the  Ashkenazim,  who 
might  be  regarded  as  the  liberal  and  conservative 
elements  in  the  body.  The  Sephardim  were  of  the 
stock  of  Western  Jews,  or  those  who  came  origin¬ 
ally  from  Spain  and  Northern  Africa,  and  who, 
having  been  in  contact  with  fairly  free  and  un¬ 
restrained  conditions,  were  active  and  tolerant. 
The  Ashkenazim  hailed  from  the  congested 
districts  of  Eastern  Europe  : 

“  They  lived  in  narrow  lanes  and  streets  obscure, 

Ghetto  and  Judenstrasse,  in  mirk  and  mire, 

Taught  in  the  school  of  patience  to  endure 
The  life  of  anguish  and  the  death  of  fire. 

Anathema  !  Maranatha  !  was  the  cry 

That  rang  from  town  to  town,  from  street  to  street; 

At  every  gate  the  cursed  Mordecai 

Was  mocked  and  jeered  and  spurned  by  Christian  feet.” 

They  possessed  the  ghetto  mind— narrow, 
ignorant,  bigoted  —  and  the  sickly  and  cowed 
appearance  developed  by  the  crushing  slum 
conditions  to  which  they  had  been  subjected. 
Christians  they  hated  with  a  bitter  hatred  as  their 
oppressors  who  had  made  their  life  a  misery. 
They  could  not  look  with  favour  on  a  religion 
presented  to  them  by  a  sect  whose  hands  were  red 
with  the  blood  of  their  people. 

These  Jews  were  regarded  as,  in  a  sense,  dele¬ 
gates  or  representatives  of  the  race  throughout  the 
world.  They  were  “  holy  men,”  faithful  to  the 


A  PAUPER  GHETTO 


47 


ideals  and  traditions  of  the  faith,  who  had  come 
to  study  the  law  and  pray  and  carry  out  in  their 
fullness  the  rules  and  regulations  which  it  was 
difficult  and  often  impossible  to  observe  in  alien 
communities,  and  then  to  die  and  be  buried  in  the 
soil  of  the  sacred  land.  They  were  doing  what 
every  true  Jew  would  have  liked  to  do,  but  which 
was  impracticable  for  the  vast  majority  to  do, 
except  vicariously  by  supporting  those  who  did. 
This  was  necessary,  for  Palestine  was  economically 
so  backward  that  it  was  impossible  for  all  the  Jews 
to  earn  a  living.  The  bulk  of  them  were  abjectly 
poor.  Some  engaged  in  shoemaking,  carpentry, 
and  trading  ;  one  or  two  were  muleteers,  and  the 
remainder  depended  entirely  on  the  sympathy  and 
charity  of  their  co-religionists  elsewhere.  The 
latter  entertained  the  idea  that  God  would  be 
propitiated  by  the  piety  of  their  fellows  in  the  Holy 
Land, and  willingly  contributed  to  their  maintenance. 
Throughout  Jewry  a  well-organized  scheme  of 
collecting  money  for  them  was  in  operation  ;  practi¬ 
cally  every  Jew  had  a  box  in  his  house  with  “  Great 
Alms  for  Palestine  ”  written  on  it.  Associations 
existed  in  most  Jewish  centres  for  receiving  and 
remitting  the  funds,  and  sometimes  a  town  contri¬ 
buted  solely  for  its  own  people  who  had  emigrated. 
When  the  money  arrived  in  Palestine  it  came  into 
the  hands  of  the  rabbis,  by  whom  it  was  “  divided 
out  ”  monthly  to  the  people  ;  hence  it  was  called 
the  “  khalukah.”  At  this  period  the  total  sum 
received  amounted  to  about  jT$oyooo  annually, 
but  it  served  only  to  supply  the  crusts  of  life  to  the 
recipients. 


48 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


!  he  rabbis  naturally  exercised  great  power  over 
those  who  received  the  dole,  as  they  could  always 
use  it  as  a  lever  or  wreapon  in  the  exercise  of  dis¬ 
cipline.  T  he  result  of  the  system,  however,  was 
to  pauperize  the  people,  for  they  had  no  inducement 
to  work  when  they  were  able  to  eke  out  an  existence 
on  charity.  Labour,  indeed,  came  to  be  looked  upon 
as  undignified  and  even  degrading — a  view  which 
the  labbis  did  nothing  to  remove,  since  the  praying 
Jew  was  an  amenable  Jew.  The  Jew  who  followed 
his  native  genius,  engaged  in  commerce,  and  made 
a  success  of  it,  was  independent  of  the  khalukah, 
and  less  hampered  by  fear  of  rabbinical  censure 
in  all  his  religious  relations. 

The  Doctor  realized  that  this  parasitical  system 
would  prove  the  most  difficult  obstacle  in  his  path. 
How  could  a  Jew  change  over  to  Christianity  so 
long  as  he  was  subject  to  such  bondage  ?  If  he 
made  a  public  profession  and  was  excommunicated 
and  shut  out  of  the  distribution  of  alms,  as  he  would 
undoubtedly  be,  how  would  he  be  able  to  support 
himself  ?  He  would  either  have  to  be  dependent 
on  the  Mission  or  emigrate  to  countries  where  he 
could  earn  his  livelihood.  The  conditions  did  not 
augur  well  for  the  success  of  the  evangelistic  work 
if  that  success  were  co  be  measured  by  the  number 
of  open  conversions. 

At  first  sight  the  Jews  did  not  impress  the  Doctor 
as  a  lovable  people  *  they  seemed  effeminate, 
neurotic,  and  slovenly  in  appearance  and  habit ; 
but  he  made  large  allowances  for  men  who  had  been 
so  long  tortured  by  civilization,  and  were  so  greatly 
isolated  from  all  healthy  and  progressive  influences. 


Dr.  Torrance  standing  at  the  Entrance  to 
his  First  House 


The  Famous  Medicinal  Baths  and  the  Tomb  beyond 


Dr.  Torrance  in  Arab  Dress 


A  PAUPER  GHETTO 


49 


and  decided  to  be  patient  and  to  study  them  care¬ 
fully  before  coming  to  a  judgment  on  their  char¬ 
acter  and  their  attitude  to  Christianity.  He  dis¬ 
covered  that  they  were  friendly  to  the  British,  and 
even  looked  to  them  as  the  Power  that  would  some 
day  be  the  means  of  restoring  Israel  to  its  ancient 
home.  Some  regarded  it  as  significant  that  Cyprus 
had  recently  come  into  possession  of  the  British, 
for  from  the  heights  of  that  island  could  be  seen  the 
Syrian  hills.  Britain  was  the  first  Christian  nation 
to  overlook  the  country. 

These  Tiberias  Jews  were  typical  of  the  race 
in  general  throughout  Palestine,  but  there  was 
another  class  entering  the  country  which  was 
destined  to  have  a  remarkable  influence  on  its 
fortunes.  It  is  curious  how  the  brutal  actions  of 
humanity  often  lead  to  unexpected  results  for  good. 
The  Jew-baiting,  the  mob-violence  and  outrages, 
the  bloodshed  and  the  destruction  of  property  in 
Russia  which  caused,  from  time  to  time,  the  flight 
of  the  Jewish  victims,  resulted  in  a  number  of  them 
seeking  refuge  in  Palestine.  It  was  not  from  a 
religious  motive  that  they  came,  but  in  order  to 
earn  a  livelihood.  Here  and  there  they  formed 
little  agricultural  colonies,  helped  in  many  cases 
by  wealthy  members  of  the  race,  principally  by 
Baron  Edmond  de  Rothschild,  and  cultivated 
oranges,  the  vine,  olives,  and  other  products. 
Several  were  established  in  Galilee.  The  condi¬ 
tions  were,  however,  against  them  ;  the  settlers 
were  mostly  from  towns,  and  knew  little  of  agri¬ 
culture  ;  they  had  difficulty  in  adjusting  themselves 
to  so  strange  an  environment,  and  the  Turks  were 


50 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


rapacious.  They  continued  to  require  financial 
support  and  were  therefore  in  much  the  same 
position  as  the  recipients  of  the  khalukah.  For 
their  benefit  an  experimental  school  was  started 
at  Jaffa  by  the  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle,  an 
organization  established  in  Paris  in  i860  with  the 
object  of  safeguarding  Jewish  interests  and  of 
promoting  secular  education  in  countries  where 
Jews  congregated.  Poor  as  they  were,  these  settle¬ 
ments  were  little  oases  of  civilization  in  surroundings 
that  were  barbarous  and  barren. 

The  Moslem  population  of  Tiberias  was  more 
approachable  than  the  Jews,  but  formed  the  least 
educated  and  least  intelligent  part  of  the  community. 
They  were  courteous  and  hospitable,  especially 
the  effendis,  or  more  wealthy  members,  but  they 
were  invincibly  self-sufficient  in  matters  of  religion. 
Of  the  various  types,  however,  the  Doctor  was 
least  impressed  with  the  native  Christians,  though 
they  possessed  some  education  and  occupied  all 
the  positions  in  the  telegraph  and  postal  depart¬ 
ments.  These  belonged  to  the  Greek  Church — 
“  Orthodox  Greeks  ” — and  to  the  Roman  Catholic, 
or  “  Latin  ”  Church,  to  which  were  affiliated  various 
Oriental  Churches  such  as  the  Greek  Catholic,  the 
Syrian  Catholic,  and  the  Armenian  Catholic  Church. 
As  a  whole  these  Christian  Churches  were  corrupt 
and  superstitious.  The  priests  were  often  illiterate 
and  degraded  ;  their  chief  duty  was  not  the  care 
or  cure  of  souls,  but  the  management  of  the 
hospices,  shrines,  and  other  buildings  associated 
with  their  religion,  and  attendance  at  the  endless 
formal  ceremonies  and  processions  carried  on  in 


A  PAUPER  GHETTO 


51 


a  spirit  of  coarse  materialism.  Both  Jews  and 
Moslems  regarded  Christianity,  as  they  knew  it, 
as  infinitely  inferior  to  their  own  faith  :  it  seemed 
to  them  little  better  than  heathenism. 

Several  languages  and  many  dialects  were 
spoken  in  the  town.  Turkish  was  the  tongue  of 
the  official  class  ;  Arabic  was  in  general  use,  and 
the  only  one  understood  by  the  majority  of  the 
native-bred  ;  the  Jews  employed  Yiddish,  based 
on  Low  German,  with  a  sprinkling  of  Hebrew, 
Polish,  and  Spanish  words. 

Outwardly  amicable  and  orderly,  the  various 
elements  in  the  community  were  in  reality  separated 
in  their  social  relations  by  unbridgeable  gulfs. 
Says  Dr.  Alexander  Paterson  : 

“  It  was  this  age-long  incompatibility,  this  irreconcilable 
enmity,  that  was  more  potent  for  evil  than  any  other  single  factor, 
and  harder  to  be  dealt  with  than  any  other  obstacle  to  mission 
work.  The  Moslem  and  Christian  hated  the  Jew  for  denying 
and  slaying  the  Messiah,  the  Christ.  The  Moslem  and  Jew 
hated  the  Christian  for  worshipping  three  gods.  The  Jew  and 
the  Christian  hated  the  Moslem  for  his  arrogance  and  fanaticism 
and  oppression,  from  which  they  never  felt  safe.  Of  course, 
they  commonly  existed  in  an  armed  truce  ;  life  otherwise  were 
impossible.  But  an  anniversary  or  an  indiscreet  word,  an  un¬ 
equal  deal  in  business,  or  a  false  report,  and  their  passions  were 
in  full  cry,  too  often  the  cry  for  blood.  Here  is  a  household 
tale.  A  Moslem  and  Christian  and  Jew  agreed  to  offer  each  a 
petition  to  heaven.  The  Moslem,  ‘  May  as  many  Christians 
perish  as  sacrifices  are  slaughtered  at  Mecca  at  the  pilgrimage  !  ’ 
The  Christian,  ‘  May  as  many  Moslems  perish  as  Easter  eggs 
are  consumed  at  Jerusalem  !  ’  The  Jew,  ‘  O  Lord,  answer 
their  petitions  !  ’  ” 

It  was  an  extraordinarily  difficult  situation 
which  Dr.  Torrance  was  facing — a  much  more 


52 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


complex  and  unhopeful  one  than  he  had  imagined. 
He  had  not  come  to  a  comparatively  simple  people 
like  the  Africans,  whose  only  faith  was  animism, 
but  to  races  who  already  possessed  highly  developed 
systems  of  religious  thought.  He  had  come  “  to 
the  Jew  first,”  and  it  was  the  Jew  who  had  risen 
nearest  to  God  and  had  given  the  world  Christianity. 
The  Moslem,  for  his  part,  considered  that  Moham¬ 
medanism  was  superior  both  to  Judaism  and  to 
Christianity.  The  Doctor’s  task,  therefore,  was 
not  to  provide  lamps  where  none  existed  or  even 
to  exchange  new  lamps  for  old,  but  to  create  the 
conviction  that  the  old  were  incomplete  and  to 
show  how  they  could  be  perfected.  As  Professor 
Delitzsch  said  :  “  The  object  of  the  Free  Church 
Mission  is  to  present  a  correct  conception  of 
Christianity,  the  Christianity  of  Christ  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  to  enable  those  who  listen  to  judge 
and  decide  for  themselves.” 

Reason,  Service,  Love,  these  three  were  the 
talismans  which  the  Doctor  called  to  his  aid — but 
the  greatest  of  these  was  Love. 


PART  TWO 


I.  OPPOSITION 
1885-86 

The  house  which  the  Doctor  had  rented  belonged 
to  one  of  the  rabbis.  It  was  situated  in  the  heart 
of  the  town,  off  a  narrow  lane,  the  buildings  on  each 
side  of  which  were  so  tall  that  the  passage  had  the 
character  of  a  tunnel.  Entrance  was  through  a 
large  archway  into  a  courtyard  from  which  a  flight 
of  steps  led  to  the  leewan,  or  veranda,  and  consult¬ 
ing-room  ;  another  stair  led  to  the  living-rooms 
in  the  upper  part.  The  whole  building  was  of  the 
gimcrack  order  and  shabby  in  the  extreme.  One 
side  was  tumbling  down,  and  had  been  patched 
with  scraps  of  tin  and  wood.  The  windows  were 
unshuttered,  and  the  sun  beat  in  and  made  the  rooms 
as  fiery  as  a  furnace.  When  rain  fell  the  roof 
leaked,  the  atmosphere  became  steamy  and  damp, 
and  mould  gathered  on  the  Doctor’s  clothes  and 
other  belongings. 

But  he  was  young,  life  was  an  adventure,  and 
the  difficulties  of  his  position  added  zest  to  his  day. 
He  ignored  the  discomforts  and  became  absorbed 
in  his  work.  As  yet  he  was  without  medicines  ; 
the  stock  he  had  ordered  was  detained  at 

53 


54 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Trieste,  but  he  discovered  some  old  drugs  in  the 
town  and  he  bought  some  Epsom  salts  and  castor 
oil,  and  he  had  his  pocket  case  of  instruments.  The 
best  instrument  he  possessed,  however,  was  his 
own  hand  :  what  has  been  described  as  the  ideal 
surgeon’s  hand,  “  strong,  supple,  smooth,  with 
sensitive  finger-tips.”  His  touch  seemed  to  have 
power  and  healing.  The  wonder  of  it  passed  from 
mouth  to  mouth,  and  patients  began  to  pour  into 
the  courtyard.  It  made  no  difference  to  him  what 
creed  they  professed  ;  he  was  a  missionary  to  the 
Jews,  but  he  could  not  say  to  a  Christian,  “  I  cannot 
see  you,”  or  to  a  Moslem,  “  You  are  not  a  Jew.” 
Christianity  was  a  world-religion,  and  made  no 
account  of  race  or  sect,  so  in  the  spirit  of  Paul  he 
was  a  Jew  to  the  Jews,  an  Arab  to  the  Arabs, 
all  things  to  all  men,  that  he  might  save  some. 
Every  one  who  came  was  tended  with  the  same 
care  and  kindness.  Although  a  man  of  mystery 
to  them,  they  instinctively  knew  that  he  was  one  to 
trust,  and  his  whimsical  eyes  and  gentle  humour 
put  them  at  their  ease. 

There  was  more  than  the  touch  of  the  physician 
in  his  ministrations.  He  read  and  spoke  of  One 
who  was  the  healer  of  souls,  and  many,  listening 
to  his  broken  Arabic,  seemed  to  obtain  a  glimpse 
of  something  beautiful  and  appealing.  Others, 
orthodox  Jews,  were  startled,  and  put  their  fingers 
into  their  ears  that  they  might  not  hear  what  he 
said.  Their  talk  of  the  matter  reached  the  rabbis. 
They,  too,  were  startled.  Then  the  hakim  was  also 
a  Christian  missionary  !  The  satisfaction  with 
which  they  regarded  his  presence  turned  sour : 


OPPOSITION 


55 


suspicion  and  resentment  took  the  place  of  their 
former  cordiality,  they  wanted  no  proselytizer  in 
their  midst  to  steal  the  people  from  the  faith,  and 
orders  were  issued  that  he  should  be  boycotted 
and  driven  from  the  town.  In  a  Jewish  paper 
published  in  Jerusalem  a  notice  was  inserted  asking 
a  physician  of  their  own  race  to  settle  in  Tiberias. 
The  number  of  Jewish  patients  fell  off. 

But  it  was  hard  for  the  sick  and  their  friends  to 
watch  Moslems  and  Christians  pass  into  the  court¬ 
yard  and  know  that  healing  was  within  reach,  and 
yet  be  debarred  from  taking  advantage  of  it.  One 
of  the  special  traits  of  the  Jews  is  their  love  for  their 
children,  and  rather  than  see  the  little  ones  suffer, 
many  a  mother  dared  the  wrath  of  the  rabbis 
Again  and  again  the  door  of  the  waiting-room 
was  burst  open  and  a  distracted  woman  rushed  in, 
crying  :  “  Doctor,  my  child  !  my  child  !  5  5  The 
Doctor  could  never  resist  such  an  appeal,  and  letting 
other  matters  stand,  he  would  accompany  the 
parent  to  her  home  and  attend  to  the  patient. 
This  happened  so  often  that  it  became  difficult  for 
him  to  meet  all  the  calls,  but  by  and  by  there  was 
no  need,  for  it  broke  the  boycott. 

Then  the  terrors  of  ecclesiastical  law  were 
evoked  against  the  delinquents  ;  solemn  kherems, 
literally  “  bans,”  were  pronounced  in  connection 
with  the  dispensary,  and  for  a  time  these  dread 
anathemas  did  their  work.  But  love  again  con¬ 
quered  fear,  and  first  children,  and  then  adults, 
crept  along  the  dark  alleys  to  consult  the  doctor. 
The  hearts  of  women  grew  soft  towards  him, 
because  of  his  tenderness  and  skill  ;  they  gathered 


56  A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

about  him  with  their  little  ones  as  the  women  of  old 
gathered  about  Jesus,  and  began  to  speak  of  him 
among  themselves  as  “  Our  David.”  One  day 
when  out  riding,  his  horse  slipped,  and  he  was 
thrown  into  a  large  cavity  ;  a  number  of  Jewesses 
who  witnessed  the  accident  rushed  to  his  assistance, 
exhibited  the  utmost  concern,  and  treated  him  in 
the  kindest  way.  It  was  a  trifling  incident,  but  it 
indicated  the  place  he  was  taking  in  their  regard. 

The  watchful  rabbis  then  unsheathed  their 
most  potent  weapon.  From  all  who  disobeyed, 
the  khalukah  was  withheld.  The  grim  alternative 
was  starvation,  and  this  was  worse  than  sickness. 
Again  the  dispensary  was  deserted  by  the  Jews. 
With  unfailing  patience  and  good  humour  the  Doctor 
met  the  situation  ;  he  had  the  more  time  to  visit 
people  in  their  homes  and  become  acquainted  with 

their  family  life  and  the  conditions  in  which  thev 
lived. 

The  majority  of  families  lived  in  one-roomed 
houses,  many  in  cellars  underground,  the  furni¬ 
ture  consisting  of  a  few  mats,  some  divans  round 
the  walls,  cooking  utensils,  and  a  charcoal  stove. 
During  the  day  the  bedding  was  piled  up  in  a 
recess  ;  at  night  it  was  spread  on  the  floor,  and  the 
family  retired  without  undressing.  The  conditions, 
in  short,  were  no  better  than  those  in  an  African 
hut  ;  in  some  respects  they  were  worse.  Ventila¬ 
tion  was  unknown,  and  the  atmosphere  was  heavy 
with  noisome  odours  of  which  the  occupants 
appeared  to  be  unconscious.  The  Doctor  found 
Jews  lying  calmly  in  their  beds  with  their  Talmud 
beside  them,  and  repeating  their  prayers,  while 


OPPOSITION 


57 


at  every  breath  they  were  inhaling  poison.  Possibly 
they  had  been  so  long  habituated  to  such  condi¬ 
tions  that  they  were  immune.  Superstition  partly 
accounted  for  their  closing  up  every  chink  ;  they 
believed  that  evil  spirits  would  obtain  access  to  the 
room  if  the  windows  were  left  open. 

The  morning  diet  consisted  chiefly  of  bread  and 
olives  ;  in  the  evening  all  endeavoured  to  have  a 
cooked  meal,  if  possible,  and  olive  oil,  or  a  species 
of  boiled  butter,  was  used  in  preparing  it.  The 
Doctor’s  first  impression  was  that  many  of  the 
people  were  underfed,  and  the  cases  that  came  to 
him  bore  this  out. 

Malarial  fevers  and  dysentery  were,  he  found, 
the  commonest  ailments  ;  of  infectious  diseases 
there  were,  so  far,  no  trace.  “  It  will  be  a  sad  day,” 
he  wrote,  with  unconscious  foreboding,  “  when 
any  of  them  make  their  appearance.”  Although 
the  birth-rate  appeared  to  be  high,  the  mortality 
amongst  children  was  very  great.  Women  suffered 
greatly,  and  he  longed  for  a  maternity  hospital. 
One  of  the  things  that  roused  his  professional  wrath 
was  the  crowding  of  neighbours  into  the  birth- 
room  to  watch  how  the  foreign  doctor  worked. 
He  would  send  for  a  bucket  of  water  and  throw  the 
contents  over  them,  or  literally  whip  them  out  of 
the  room. 

“  It  is  difficult  to  imagine  a  more  insanitary 
town,”  he  wrote.  There  was  no  system  of  sewage  ; 
the  cesspools  attached  to  the  houses  were  seldom 
or  never  cleaned  out,  and  a  sickening  odour  choked 
one  at  every  turn.  No  wells  or  cisterns  existed  ; 
they  were  not  required,  for  the  Lake  was  fresh,  and 


58 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


as  it  lapped  one  side  of  the  town,  every  housewife 
was  able  to  draw  what  she  needed  from  the  beach 
at  the  foot  of  one  or  other  of  the  streets  that  ran 
down  to  its  edge.  Here  were  ash-heaps  and  dung¬ 
hills,  here  the  drainage  of  the  town  found  an  outlet, 
and  here  men  and  boys  bathed  all  day  long,  so  that 
close  inshore  the  water  was  impure  and  unfit  for 
drinking.  The  Doctor  himself  used  a  small  filter 
which  he  had  brought  with  him,  but  as  a  rule  he 
refrained  from  taking  any  liquid  except  tea  and 
coffee.  It  was  not  always  easy  for  him  to  do  so, 
and  invariably  after  drinking  of  polluted  supplies 
he  suffered. 

He  was  better  able  to  control  his  food.  Most 
of  this  at  first  he  obtained  from  home,  as  he  was 
unable  to  procure  anything  better  than  boiled  rice, 
eggs,  leban  or  sour  milk,  fish  from  the  Lake,  and 
unpalatable  bread.  But  he  had  noticed  that  the 
Vartans  did  not  despise  native  food,  —  which, 
however,  they  had  properly  cooked, — and  believing 
that  it  would  be  an  advantage  to  be  able  to  live  on 
local  diet,  especially  on  tours,  he  gradually  worked 
up  a  knowledge  of  the  common  products,  and 
became  accustomed  to  eating  them.  The  Spartan 
fashion  in  which  he  had  been  brought  up  made 
this  a  matter  of  no  difficulty  ;  wherever  he  accepted 
hospitality,  he  took  what  was  given  him,  and,  no 
matter  how  much  he  disliked  it,  he  made  no  sign  of 
discomfort. 

No  missionary  lived  more  simply  ;  he  had  only 
the  bare  necessaries  of  life  about  him,  and  his 
clothing  was  severely  workmanlike.  He  did  his 
own  washing  and  much  of  his  own  cleaning,  and 


COMEDY  OF  THE  CUSTOM-HOUSE  59 

felt  happier  than  if  it  had  been  left  to  an  inefficient 
servant.  “  After  all,”  he  said,  “  I  am  out  to  work, 
and  do  the  best  I  can  in  every  way.” 

As  the  winter  season  advanced,  the  condition 
of  the  house  became  deplorable.  The  soaked 
mortar  fell  out  and  the  roof  let  in  the  rain  so  badly 
that  he  was  obliged  to  fasten  up  a  sheet  to  keep 
himself  dry.  He  complained  to  the  landlord,  who 
had  contracted  to  maintain  the  premises  in  repair, 
but  the  rabbi  declined  to  do  anything.  Perhaps 
he  was  affected  by  a  curious  report  that  had  become 
current  ;  a  white  dove  had  been  seen  sitting  on  the 
roof  of  the  building,  and  this  was  declared  to  be  the 
spirit  of  his  father  come  back  to  mourn  over  the 
letting  of  the  house  to  a  deceiver  of  the  people.  In 
any  case,  it  was  clear  that  he  desired  to  get  quit  of 
his  bargain  and  his  tenant.  The  Doctor  was  all 
the  more  resolute  to  hold  on.  It  was  now  that  his 
manual  work  in  the  old  days  proved  useful  ;  he 
took  off  his  coat  and  executed  the  repairs  himself, 
making  a  better  job  of  the  matter  than  the  half- 
trained  local  tradesman  would  have  done. 


II.  COMEDY  OF  THE  CUSTOM-HOUSE 

1886 

Opposition  of  a  different  character  came  from  the 
Turkish  officials.  Chieffy  Moslems,  they  sub* 
sisted  largely  on  bakhshish.  They  never  obtained 
sufficient  salary  to  live  upon,  and  they  charged 


60 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


“  fees  ”  to  all  who  required  their  services.  In 
their  own  view  the  system  was  perfectly  proper  ; 
in  Western  eyes  it  was  pure  blackmail.  Where 
foreigners  were  concerned  it  probably  was.  They 
were  regarded  as  legitimate  prey  to  be  fleeced,  and 
all  officials  were  adepts  in  the  art  of  raising  ob¬ 
stacles  in  order  to  be  bribed  to  remove  them. 
Courteous  and  tolerant  whenever  there  was  any 
prospect  of  financial  advantage  to  themselves,  they 
became  instantly  hostile  if  their  right  to  bakhshish 
was  challenged.  The  Doctor  was  well  aware  of 
the  hold  the  practice  had  upon  the  community,  but 
determined  to  fight  it  and  resist  all  attempts  to 
intimidate  and  harass  him. 

He  thought  he  might  smooth  his  way  by  culti¬ 
vating  relations  with  the  Governor,  and  made  a 
formal  call.  He  was  received  with  every  mark  of 
goodwill,  and  the  visit  was  returned.  On  this 
occasion  the  Governor  brought  the  conversation 
round  to  tape-worms,  of  all  subjects  in  the  world, 
and  soon  the  two  were  discussing  the  life-history 
of  these  intestinal  parasites.  To  the  Doctor’s 
exposition  of  their  habits  the  Governor  listened 
with  deep  attention,  and  thanked  him  warmly  for 
the  information.  The  Doctor,  wishing  to  express 
his  indebtedness  for  the  visit,  said,  with  hand  on 
heart,  “  Ana  mejnun  kethir ,”  which  may  be  rendered, 

I  m  a  great  fool,  instead  of  “  Ana  memnun  kethir ,” 

I  m  greatly  obliged  ”  !  The  Governor  bowed 
gravely,  but  the  dragoman  turned  away  to  hide  a 
smile. 

Inquiries  then  began  to  be  made  into  the 
cnaracter  of  the  Doctor’s  work.  The  question  was 


COMEDY  OF  THE  CUSTOM-HOUSE  61 

raised  whether  he  had  the  right  to  practise  in 
Turkish  territory  since  he  was  not  in  possession 
of  a  Turkish  diploma,  and  there  being  no  offering 
of  bakhshish,  he  was  refused  the  usual  immunity 
from  Customs  duties  on  medical  stores.  It  was 
over  this  matter  that  the  first  trial  of  strength 
occurred.  When  the  bulk  of  his  boxes  arrived,  he 
went  down  to  Haifa  to  take  them  out  of  the  Custom- 
House,  a  place  of  evil  notoriety,  in  the  unsavoury 
atmosphere  of  which  nerves  were  often  unstrung 
and  health  lost.  Lacking  a  firman,  or  permit  from 
the  Sultan,  he  was  received  as  an  individual  without 
standing.  The  old  Turk  in  charge,  who  stood  with 
a  number  of  Arab  underlings  about  him,  assumed 

a  strictly  official  manner. 

“  Yes,  your  boxes  are  here,”  he  admitted,  “  but 

they  must  be  examined.” 

“  Oh,  but  I  have  invoices  for  everything,”  said 

the  Doctor. 

“  Invoices  !  God  destroy  your  house  !  Don’t 
you  know  that  invoices  can  be  cooked  ?  Every  box 
must  be  opened.” 

“  When  will  you  begin  ?  ”  asked  the  Doctor. 

“  Come  to-morrow  morning.” 

Next  day  the  Doctor  put  in  an  appearance. 

“I  am  ready  to  attend  the  examination  of  my 
boxes,”  he  intimated. 

The  Turk  looked  up  leisurely.  “  Ah,  yes. 
But  we  must  have  a  doctor  to  look  at  the  drugs.” 
“  Well,  get  one.” 

iC  Unfortunately  the  Government  doctor  is  not 
in  town  ;  he  is  on  duty  in  the  country.” 

“  When  will  he  be  here  ?  ” 


62  A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

To-morrow,  no  doubt  ;  call  to-morrow 
morning/ ’ 

The  next  day  he  asked,  “Well,  is  the  doctor 
here  ?  ” 

“  No  ;  he  is  not  back  yet.” 

“  What  is  to  be  done  ?  ” 

“  Call  to  -morrow  morning.” 

“  Look  here,”  said  the  Doctor  impatiently,  “  I 
have  left  my  work  in  Tiberias  and  come  to  procure 
my  medicines  and  am  willing  to  pay  the  duty.  I 
am  staying  at  an  hotel,  spending  money  ;  and  lives 
may  be  lost  through  your  delay.  I  shall  have  a 
counter-claim  against  you  for  damages.” 

The  Turk  regarded  him  compassionately. 

“  Call  to  -morrow  morning,”  he  replied. 

The  Doctor  called. 

Have  you  got  your  man  ?  ”  he  inquired,  not 
very  hopefully  now. 

No  ;  but  there  is  a  little  Jewish  watchmaker 
who  was  once  in  a  chemist’s  shop — he  may  do.” 

“  Then  get  hold  of  him.” 

By  and  by  the  Jew  arrived  and  the  work  began. 
They  came  upon  some  bottles  of  coloured  liquids. 

“  Ah  •  What  are  these  ?  ”  the  Turk  demanded. 

“  I  suppose,”  said  the  Doctor  wearily,  “  they 
are  what  they  are  labelled.” 

The  Turk  seized  one  of  the  bottles.  “  It  looks 
like  brandy,”  he  remarked,  and,  extracting  the  cork, 
smelt  the  contents.  The  Jew  meantime  had  been 
deciphering  the  labels  and,  recognizing  some  of 
the  names,  pronounced  them  to  be  drugs. 

A  large  bottle  was  uncovered,  and  the  Doctor’s 
eyes  twinkled. 


COMEDY  OF  THE  CUSTOM-HOUSE  63 

“  What  is  this  ?  ” 

“  Open  it  and  see— is  it  not  your  business  to 
find  out  ?  ” 

The  Jew  started  back  as  if  he  had  received  a 
shock.  It  was  a  bottle  of  ammonia. 

They  came  to  a  barrel  of  Epsom  salts  which 
puzzled  them  for  a  time.  Was  it  an  explosive  ? 
Some  charcoal  fire  was  sent  for  to  test  whether  it 
was  saltpetre.  Then  an  iron  rod  was  obtained 
and  poked  into  the  stuff  to  discover  whether  it 
hid  cartridges. 

This  was  followed  by  the  examination  of  a 
package  containing  insect  powder.  They  took  it 
to  be  mustard,  and  one  tasted  it  and  quickly  spat 
it  out.  “  That’s  not  mustard  at  any  rate,”  he 
muttered. 

And  so  the  comedy  went  on  for  three  days,  and 
the  Doctor,  resigned  at  last  to  the  process,  sat  and 
played  a  tin  whistle  which  had  come  along  with 
some  miscellaneous  goods.  The  assistants  grew 
so  tired  of  the  business  and  so  hopeless  of  bakhshish 
that  when  they  reached  the  cases  of  surgical 
instruments  they  valued  them  at  random  and 
finished  their  task. 

The  Doctor  handed  over  the  amount  of  the 
duty,  and  asked  for  a  receipt. 

“  Call  to-morrow.” 

At  the  ominous  words  his  heart  sank.  Was  he 

beginning  the  play  all  over  again  ? 

“  I  must  have  a  receipt  and  I  won’t  give  bakh¬ 
shish,”  he  said  obstinately. 

“  Call  to-morrow.” 

Next  day  he  obtained  a  carriage,  picked  up  Mrs. 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Vartan,  who  had  been  in  town,  and  called  at  the 
Custom-House. 

“  My  receipt  ?  ”  he  asked. 

“  Call  to-morrow.” 

But  I  am  on  my  way  back  ;  my  carriage  is 
waiting.  It  won  t  take  you  two  minutes  to  give 
me  my  discharge.” 

1  hey  were  placid  and  immovable,  and  in  an  angry 
mood  he  returned  to  the  carriage  and  poured  out 
his  feelings  to  Mrs.  Vartan. 

My  dear  fellow,”  she  said,  amused  at  his 
wrath,  “  go  back  and  give  them  their  bakhshish 
and  have  done  with  it.  These  fellows  don’t  get 

their  salaries  you  will  be  really  paying  them  for 
their  work.” 


He  took  her  advice  and  handed  the  officials  /e. 
They  were  all  smiles  and  courtesy,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  he  had  his  receipt. 

“  Now,”  he  said  grimly,  “  I  want  to  talk  to 
you.  You  are  the  most  incompetent  set  of  men  I 
have  ever  seen.  Your  valuation  of  my  goods  is 
all  wrong ;  here  are  my  invoices  which  you  would 
not  look  at.  You  will  see  that  you  have  charged 

ty  per  cent,  less  than  the  amount  you  should 
have  done.  Now  are  you  not  fools  ?  ” 

They  beamed  upon  him.  “  Go  in  peace,” 

they  said,  “  and  next  time  send  both  the  invoices 
and  the  bakhshish.” 


Possessing  now  an  adequate  supply  of  medicines, 
e  opened  a  dispensary,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
courtyard  was  again  filled  with  patients,  five-sixths 
of  whom  were  Jews  of  many  nationalities,  and  one- 
sixth  Moslems  and  nominal  Christians.  Even 


VIEWING  THE  LAND 


65 


with  the  help  of  a  native  assistant  he  was  unable 
to  attend  to  all.  He  began  to  undertake  serious 
operations,  and  was  impressed  with  the  oppor¬ 
tunities  that  crowded  upon  him  ;  the  whole  field  of 
surgery  was  open  for  the  exercise  of  his  skill.  With 
the  success  that  attended  his  cases,  the  people  grew 
increasingly  confident  of  his  powers,  and  he,  himself, 
felt  a  joy  and  exhilaration  in  the  work.  “  I  am 
thankful,”  he  wrote,  “  that  the  Committee  chose  me 
to  labour  in  Tiberias.  I  am  full  of  hope  about 
the  future.  .  .  .  The  charm  of  the  work  is  that 
the  old,  old  story  is  new  to  the  hearer.” 

The  occasional  travellers  who  appeared  at 
Tiberias  at  this  time  were  greatly  struck  by  his 
earnestness  and  devotion.  “  He  seems  to  be 
thoroughly  happy  in  his  work,”  wrote  one.  “  I 
cannot  help  admiring  his  courage  and  hopefulness 
in  spite  of  the  difficulties  with  which  he  has  to 
contend.”  Long  afterwards,  looking  back,  he  him¬ 
self  declared,  “  Those  early  days  stand  out  as  among 
the  happiest  in  my  life.” 


III.  VIEWING  THE  LAND 

1886 

The  Doctor,  however,  was  human,  and  the  depress¬ 
ing  conditions  in  which  he  worked,  combined  with 
the  loneliness  of  his  position,  sometimes  affected  his 
spirits.  Whenever  he  could  steal  away  he  took 
his  New  Testament,  Geikie’s  Life  of  Christ  and 
5 


66 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Baedeker’s  Palestine ,  and  climbed  the  hillsides 
overlooking  the  town  and  the  Lake  ;  and  there  in 
solitude  he  studied  the  scenes  associated  with  the 
ministry  of  the  Physician  in  whose  footsteps  he  was 
treading,  and  obtained  the  spiritual  reinforcement 
which  sent  him  back  strengthened  for  his  task. 

It  was  early  spring,  when  the  country  was 
arrayed  in  all  its  glory.  Save  for  some  dark  out¬ 
crops  of  rock  here  and  there,  the  land  was  covered 
with  a  veil  of  green.  It  was  not  the  vivid  green  of 
grass,  for  there  is  no  short  sweet  grass  in  Palestine, 
except  in  gardens,  but  the  duller  green  of  weeds 
that  grew  tall  and  rank.  On  the  plains  and  hill¬ 
sides  splashes  of  yellow,  scarlet,  and  white  indicated 
where  the  flowers  grew  in  mass — the  “  lilies  of  the 
field,”  as  beautiful  now  as  they  appeared  to  Jesus. 
No  living  thing  moved  in  the  wide  landscape  save 
where,  far  up  among  the  heights,  a  flock  of  black 
goats  sought  pasture  ;  no  sound  broke  the  hush  upon 
the  land  save  the  faint  call  of  the  goat-herd.  It 
was  the  passionless  tranquillity,  the  stillness,  that 
again  impressed  the  Doctor.  And  the  Lake  was  as 
quiet  as  the  land  which  circled  it  and  was  reflected 
in  its  calm  green  waters.  One  small  sailing-boat, 
gliding  with  almost  imperceptible  motion  close  in¬ 
shore,  merely  accentuated  the  loneliness  of  its 
appearance.  In  the  face  of  that  solemn  silence,  the 
wonderful  pageant  of  the  past  seemed  like  a  fantasy 
of  imagination  ;  to  recall  the  events  of  it  was 
like  recalling  the  dim  scenes  in  a  half-forgotten 
dream.  Few  countries  that  are  barren  and  desolate 
possess  a  history,  but  this  one  had  been  for  centuries 
throbbing  with  intense  life,  and  had  witnessed 


VIEWING  THE  LAND 


67 


marvellous  occurrences  that  had  again  and  again 
changed  the  course  of  human  destiny.  And  in  the 
words  of  a  French  writer,  “  Upon  that  rocky  Syrian 
soil  blossomed  the  lily  of  the  valley  whose  fragrance 
after  nineteen  centuries  still  perfumes  the  world.” 

It  took  an  effort  to  picture  water  and  land  as  they 
were  when  Jesus  looked  upon  them — the  hillsides 
covered  with  woods  and  groves  of  fruit  trees,  and 
the  plains  with  crops  and  gardens  ;  the  shore  lined 
almost  continuously  with  populous  towns,  the  Lake 
alive  with  fleets  of  sails.  Josephus  gives  a  glowing 
account  of  the  beauty  and  productiveness  of  the 
region  ;  and  no  incident  could  better  depict  the 
activity  on  the  Lake  than  that  singular  stratagem 
by  which,  not  long  after  Jesus  was  crucified,  the 
Jewish  warrior  himself  recaptured  the  rebel  city  of 
Tiberias.  Josephus  was  at  Taricheae,  a  centre  of 
industry  at  the  south  end  of  the  Lake  : 

“  In  the  first  place  he  ordered  the  gates  of  Taricheae  to  be 
shut  that  nobody  might  go  out  and  inform  those  of  Tiberias  ; 
he  then  got  together  all  the  ships  that  were  upon  the  Lake, 
which  were  found  to  be  two  hundred  and  thirty,  and  in  each 
of  them  he  put  no  more  than  four  mariners.  So  he  sailed  to 
Tiberias  with  haste,  and  kept  at  such  a  distance  from  the  city 
that  it  was  not  easy  for  the  people  to  see  the  vessels,  and  ordered 
that  the  empty  vessels  should  float  up  and  down  there,  while 
himself,  who  had  only  seven  of  his  guards  with  him  and  these 
unarmed  also,  went  so  near  as  to  be  seen  ;  but  when  his  ad¬ 
versaries  saw  him  from  the  walls  they  were  so  astonished  that 
they  supposed  all  the  ships  were  full  of  armed  men,  and  threw 
down  their  arms,  and  by  signals  of  intercession  they  besought 
him  to  spare  the  city.  .  .  .  He  took  all  their  senate,  consisting  of 
six  hundred  persons  and  about  two  hundred  of  the  populace, 
and  carried  them  away  to  Taricheae.  .  .  .  And  thus  he  recovered 
Tiberias  again  with  empty  ships  and  seven  of  his  guard.” 


68 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


And  now  it  was  forsaken,  forlorn,  devitalized, 
the  mere  ghost  of  a  land. 

Almost  the  entire  Lake  was  visible  from  the 
Doctor’s  point  of  view.  Immediately  below  was  a 
narrow  plain.  On  the  left,  the  ground  rose  gently 
and  widely  in  a  kind  of  valley  until  it  hid  the  north¬ 
east  corner  ;  up  this  ascent  the  track  to  Nazareth 
deviously  wandered.  Midway  on  the  shore  line 
was  a  dark  half-circle  close  against  the  water — 
the  town  of  Tiberias,  flat  and  featureless  save  for 
the  dome  and  minaret  of  the  Mosque,  the  broken 
battlements  of  Tancred’s  castle,  and  a  palm  or  two. 
It  seemed  but  a  speck  in  the  wide  wall-less  spaces 
of  waste  land  that  lay  outside  it.  To  the  south  was 
some  irregular  ground  with  granite  columns  lying 
prone  or  projecting  from  the  earth,  indicating  the 
site  of  the  old  capital  at  the  base  of  the  bluff 
on  which  stood  the  castle  and  palace  of  Herod 
Antipas.  There  it  was,  some  think,  that  the 
daughter  of  Herodias  danced  and  demanded  the 
head  of  John  the  Baptist.  It  is  still  known  as  Qasr 
bint  el-Melek — “  Palace  of  the  king’s  daughter.” 

Beyond,  on  the  foreshore,  white  roofs 
indicated  the  medicinal  baths  where  the  little 
rivulets  of  hot  water  gushed  from  the  earth  and 
ran  down  into  the  Lake  as  they  had  done  through 
all  the  changes  of  the  ages  ;  beside  them  the  tomb 
of  Rabbi  Meyer,  the  celebrated  Talmudist,  the 
scene  of  a  yearly  pilgrimage  ;  and  then  desolate 
slopes  to  the  foot  of  the  Lake.  Fretting  the  shore¬ 
line  there  appeared  the  mud  houses  of  a  little 
Moslem  village  called  Samakh.  High  above,  on 
the  south-east  horizon  of  hills,  he  could  see  the 


VIEWING  THE  LAND 


69 


ruins  of  Gadara  where  Greek  civilization  held 
sway  ;  and,  coming  north,  the  ruins  of  Gamala  on 
a  ridge  in  the  middle  of  a  gorge  up  which  ran  a 
track  to  Damascus.  Almost  directly  opposite,  a 
brown  scar  indicated  the  scene  where  Jesus  cured 
the  two  demoniacs  and  the  swine  ran  down  “  the 
steep  place  ”  into  the  Lake.  On  the  ragged  profile 
of  the  sky-line  groves  of  olives  marked  Aphek, 
where  the  children  of  Israel,  in  number  like  “  two 
little  flocks  of  kids,”  defeated  the  Syrians  who 
“  filled  the  country.” 

Beyond  that  high  horizon  he  saw  in  imagination 
the  spacious  tableland  of  the  Hauran,  the  rolling 
wheat  and  barley  fields  with  the  rude  peasant 
villages,  the  waste  wild  tracts  inhabited  by  the 
wandering  bedouin  with  their  camels,  sheep,  and 
goats,  the  mountains,  one  of  the  seats  of  the  singular 
Druze  race  ;  and  beyond  these,  and  stretching 
away  into  the  illimitable  spaces  of  the  East,  the 
mysterious  desert  out  of  which  had  come  that 
strange  militant  religion  that  had  threatened  to 
conquer  the  world  and  was  still  as  aggressive,  as 
menacing,  as  implacable  as  ever.  In  all  that  vast 
region  there  was  scarcely  an  agency  of  the  Christian 
faith.  The  vision  might  well  have  daunted  the 
most  confident  and  courageous  of  missionary 
pioneers.  But,  u  If  God  wills,”  said  the  Doctoi  to 
himself,  “  I  will  be  over  there  yet.” 

To  the  north-east  a  cut  in  the  hills  denoted  the 
Jordan  valley,  and  spanning  it,  and  rising  slightly 
above  it,  shone  the  snowclad  dome  of  Mount 
Hermon.  It  was  so  distant  that  it  did  not  dominate 
the  landscape,  and  would  hardly  have  been  dis- 


70 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


tinguishable  from  the  general  contour  had  it  not 
been  for  its  dazzling  cap  which  perpetually  caught 
and  drew  the  eye.  Below  it,  and  above  the  Lake, 
was  Chorazin,  with  Capernaum  and  Bethsaida 
on  the  snore  at  the  foot  of  undulating  slopes,  which 
on  the  west  rose  gradually  into  the  lofty  Safed 
heights.  Safed  itself  was  visible  as  a  gleam  of 
white,  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  which  was  never  hidden 
save  by  passing  cloud-drifts.  More  westward 
still  were  the  great  masses  of  Upper  Galilee  cul¬ 
minating  in  the  Jebel  Jermak  peak,  the  highest 
mountain  in  Palestine  this  side  of  the  Jordan. 

Immediately  on  his  left,  but  invisible  on  account 
of  the  rising  ground,  lay  the  once  marvellously  fertile 
plain  of  Gennesaret,  now  a  melancholy  weed- 
waste,  and  Magdala,  a  wretched  bunch  of  mud 
hovels  lining  the  beach.  And  behind  him,  over 
the  top  of  the  hill,  lay  the  spot  where  the  last  of  the 
Christian  crusaders  met  Saladin  and  his  Moslem 
regiments,  and,  encompassed  by  fire  and  smoke 
and  heat,  suffered  a  defeat  which  decided  the 
fate  of  the  country  for  centuries. 

It  was  at  these  times  of  quiet  study  and  medita¬ 
tion  in  places  apart  that  the  Doctor  felt  to  the  full 
the  wonder  of  his  experience.  He  was  living  where 
Jesus  had  lived  and  founded  the  religion  that 
had  revolutionized  the  world — was  following  His 
example,  if  ever  so  far  behind, — was  in  contact 
with  the  same  human  nature  that  He  had  appealed 
to,  was  witnessing  the  scenes  that  had  illustrated 
His  teaching,  and  meeting  exactly  the  same  diffi¬ 
culties  and  discouragements  that  had  shadowed  His 
caieei.  And  he  felt  thrilled  at  the  honour  that  had 


A  FIERY  FURNACE 


71 


fallen  to  him.  The  life  and  the  work  and  the 
surroundings  might  become  familiar  and  even 
commonplace,  but  there  could  never  come  a  time 
when  he  would  not  regard  it  as  a  privilege  to  walk 
in  the  very  footsteps  of  His  Saviour  and,  like  Him, 
“  go  about  doing  good.” 


IV.  A  FIERY  FURNACE 
1886 

The  spring  passed,  the  colour  on  the  hills  faded, 
every  trace  of  vegetation  vanished,  and  the  land 
became  seared  and  bare,  as  bare  as  the  streets  of  a 
city.  The  air  grew  sultry  and  oppressive,  then 
scorching  like  the  breath  of  an  oven  5  for  months 
the  shade  temperature  was  over  ioo°  Fahr.,  and  it 
often  went  up  as  high  as  no°  and  even,  occasionally, 
higher.  During  the  day  it  was  not  possible  to 
walk  much  about  in  the  sun,  and  the  pulse  of  life 
beat  languidly.  At  night  the  atmosphere  remained 
hot  and  stifling,  and  the  Doctor  tossed  about  in 
a  vain  endeavour  to  sleep,  and  at  last  took  up  his 
bed  and  laid  it  on  the  housetop.  The  conditions 
reminded  him  of  the  Turkish  baths  in  Glasgow, 
and  he  was  inclined  to  believe  his  servant,  who 
declared  that  the  water  “  boiled  beautifully 
because  it  required  so  little  fire  !  Then  the  sirocco 
blew  from  the  desert  like  the  blast  from  a  blazing 
furnace  and  shrivelled  what  vitality  was  left.  He 
went  on  as  best  he  could  attending  the  sick  and  pl^  ing 


72 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

the  surgeon’s  knife,  but  he  realized  that,  however 
healthy  and  agreeable  the  climate  was  in  winter  and 
spring,  it  was  clearly  unsafe  for  Europeans  to  remain 
in  the  town  during  the  three  or  four  hottest  months. 

Although  he  had  been  told  of  the  enervating 
climate,  he  had  not  paid  much  attention  to  the 
matter.  Like  most  readers  of  the  New  Testament, 
he  had  little  idea  of  the  physical  character  of  the 
home  country  of  Jesus.  “  Strange,”  he  said  once, 
that  no  mention  is  made  in  the  Gospels  of  the 
great  heat  in  which  Christ  carried  on  His  work.” 
Now  the  knowledge  came  to  him  with  the  shock 
of  an  unpleasant  surprise.  He  was  one  of  the  type 
of  active  men  who  are  never  happy  except  when 
busily  at  work,  and  an  interregnum  of  three  idle 
months  was  what  he  had  not  contemplated.  Already 
he  was  planning  to  fill  these  up  with  other  work. 

He  was  also  sketching  out  the  mission  of  the 
future.  A  medical  missionary  was  merely  a  fore¬ 
runner,  opening  up  the  way  for  the  evangelist  and 
the  teacher  ;  and  he  therefore  pointed  out  that, 
in  addition  to  himself,  a  clerical  colleague,  a  native 
evangelist,  and  an  educational  staff  were  needed, 
and  also  a  Bible  depot  or  a  literature-distributing 
agency.  Without  these  the  station  would  not  be 
properly  equipped.  Education,  he  saw,  was 
urgently  necessary  in  order  to  improve  the  low 
moral  tone  of  the  town.  Few  of  the  inhabitants 
were  literate,  and  of  the  women  not  one  knew  the 
alphabet :  the  latter  had  no  ambition  except  to 
secure  enough  to  eat  and  to  become  brides.  Only 
the  Greek  Catholic  Church  had  a  school,  and  that 
a  poor  apology  for  one,  there  being  but  ten  boy 


A  FIERY  FURNACE 


73 


scholars  ;  the  Jews  and  Moslems  had  none. 
Nothing  whatever  was  done  for  the  welfare  of  the 
girls  of  any  class  ;  they  had  no  occupation,  and 
refused  domestic  work.  It  was  a  community  which 
did  not  even  drift,  it  lay  stagnant,  like  a  pool  in  the 
remote  backwater  of  some  great  stream,  without 
purpose,  without  progress.  Mentally  its  people 
were  asleep  ;  they  were  content  if  only  they 
managed  to  meet  from  day  to  day  the  elementary 
needs  of  the  body. 

There  was  no  lack  of  support  in  Scotland  for 
the  Doctor’s  proposals.  The  interest  in  the 
Mission  was  widespread,  for  it  had  a  touch  of 
romance  that  appealed  to  the  Christian  imagina¬ 
tion,  and  many  minds  were  thinking  of  the  young 
“  man  of  Galilee  ”  who  was  struggling  with  the 
exceptional  difficulties  of  the  field.  To  his  delight 
his  own  sister  offered  to  come  out  as  a  voluntary 
worker  among  the  girls.  The  Glasgow  Ladies’ 
Jewish  Association,  a  society  with  a  long  and 
honourable  record,  decided  to  take  up  this  special 
service,  and  so  began  an  active  connection  with 
Galilee  which  continues  to  this  day  and  has  been 
an  element  of  incalculable  value  in  the  work  of 
the  Mission.  It  appointed  as  its  first  agent,  Miss 
Fenton,  a  trained  missionary  teacher  with  experi¬ 
ence  in  Turkey.  At  the  same  time  the  Jewish 
Mission  Committee  sought  for  a  young  ordained 
man  to  share  the  burden  of  the  work.  With  such 
developments  in  prospect  the  Doctor  determined 
to  shift  to  a  better  house,  and  secured  one  on  a 
lease  for  five  years,  with  an  arrangement  that 
enabled  him  to  build  additional  rooms. 


74 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

As  the  season  advanced  he  suffered  from  the 
heat :  dysentery  and  fever  seized  him,  and  he  had 
finally  to  take  to  his  bed,  where  he  lay  for  a  time 
delirious.  A  visitor  passing  up  to  Nazareth  in¬ 
formed  Dr.  Vartan,  who  rode  down  to  his  assistance. 
There  was  only  a  bridle-path  between  the  two 
towns,  and  Dr.  Vartan  could  do  nothing  but  place 
him  on  his  horse  in  front  of  himself  and  hold  him 
there  all  the  way  to  Nazareth.  The  journey  was 
by  night,  and  proved  an  experience  which  neither 
of  the  men  would  have  cared  to  repeat.  So  ill  was 
the  Doctor  that  a  report  of  his  death— hopefully 
anticipated  by  some  of  the  Jews  who  opposed  him 
—was  spread  about,  but  under  Mrs.  Vartan’s 
motherly  care  he  was  nursed  back  to  health. 

On  his  recovery  he  went  on  to  Damascus  to 
relieve  Dr.  Mackinnon,  while  the  latter  was  in 
Scotland,  and  spent  two  months  at  the  summer 
station  of  Bludan,  where  he  studied  Arabic  with  the 
village  schoolmaster,  and  treated  over  a  thousand 
medical  cases.  In  September  he  returned  by 
Beyrout  and  Jaffa,  where  he  met  his  sister  and  Miss 
Fenton  and  convoyed  them  to  Nazareth.  Leaving 
the  latter  there,  he  proceeded  in  October  with  his 
sister  to  Tiberias.  The  warmth  of  his  reception 
from  the  common  people  surprised  him.  He  saw 
smiling  faces  and  uplifted  hats  on  every  hand,  and 
the  children  ran  after  him  and  kissed  his  hand. 

With  Miss  Torrance  in  charge  of  the  domestic 
sp  ere,  life  ran  more  smoothly,  and  his  strength 
was  doubled,  though  the  house  accommodation 
left  much  to  be  desired.  As  the  new  upper  rooms 
were  not  ready  he  slept  in  the  basement,  an  old 


l 


A  FIERY  FURNACE 


75 


structure  with  rotten  floors,  the  haunt  of  rats, 
snakes,  scorpions,  centipedes,  and  other  creatures. 

‘ ‘  sure,”  he  would  say  to  his  sister,  that 

there  are  a  million  bugs  in  that  room.  All  his 
scraping  and  probing  and  disinfecting  failed  to  dis¬ 
lodge  the  pests.  When  he  had  contrived  to  secure 
tolerable  conditions  there  would  be  an  invasion  of 
fleas  or  flies,  for  both  of  which  Tiberias  was 
notorious,  for  surrounded  as  the  building  was  by 
native  houses  it  was  not  possible  to  create  a  clean 

oasis  in  the  desert  of  filth. 

As  he  had  now  the  aid  of  a  young  native  man 

as  dispenser  and  a  Scripture  reader,  the  work  went 
on  with  vigour.  By  the  end  of  the  year  1886  as 
many  as  647  p^d^tits  had  been  attended  to,  539  * 
whom  were  Jews — many  of  these  being  seen  in  their 
homes.  The  Baths,  which  he  frequently  visited, 
undoubtedly  assisted  to  spread  his  fame,  as  they 
had  spread 'the  fame  of  Jesus.  Large  numbers  of 
Jews  flocked  to  them  from  Jerusalem,  Hebron, 
Jaffa,  and  Safed,  and  from  abroad,  and  remained 
for  weeks,  not  only  undergoing  the  water  cure  but 
also  praying  in  the  synagogue  in  the  hope  of  re¬ 
ceiving  help  from  the  spirit  of  Rabbi  Meyer.  Many 
of  the  patients  receiving  no  benefit  from  the  Baths 
stole  into  the  Doctor’s  consulting-room,  and  fur¬ 
nished  him  with  abundance  of  material  foi  the 
study  of  human  nature.  One  was  a  Russian  Jew 
called  Moses,  as  odd  a  character  as  any  described 
by  Zangwill.  His  ailment  was  an  enlarged  liver 
which  was  something  of  a  medical  curiosity,  and 
he  had  been  successively  in  most  of  the  principal 
hospitals  of  Europe.  As  a  result  he  had  a  knowledge 


76 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

of  many  languages  ;  English  he  spoke  fairly  well. 
Knowing  the  virtue  of  the  Baths  he  had  come,  as  a 
sort  of  last  resort,  to  try  their  efficacy,  and  hearing 
of  the  foreign  hakim  and  his  magical  skill  he 
ecided  to  consult  him.  So  impressed  was  he  by 
the  personality  of  the  Doctor  that  he  begged  to  be 
taken  on  as  a  servant.  The  Doctor  agreed,  and 
treated  him  medically  so  well  that  his  health  greatly 
improved.  His  gratitude  was  unbounded,  and  few 
more  faithful  attendants  ever  served  a  master. 
Having  seen  so  much  of  hospital  life  he  was 
familiar  with  the  routine  of  a  Doctor’s  work  and 
proved  of  the  utmost  assistance.  He  acted  as 
doorkeeper  and  guarded  the  Doctor  from  inter¬ 
ruption  and  intrusion.  When  friends  of  patients 
Hew  to  the  house  by  day  or  night  they  were  met  by 
Hoses,  who  ascertained  the  exact  nature  of  the  case 
and  if  necessary  escorted  the  Doctor  through  the 

.thy  streets  to  the  spot,  and  dealt  with  the  crowds 
in  the  sick-room. 

He  was  as  tender-hearted  a  man  as  one  could 
hnd  In  his  leisure  time  he  haunted  the  byways 
of  the  town  hunting  up  all  who  were  ill,  whether 
Jew  or  Moslem,  and  reported  them  to  the  Doctor. 
As  a  perquisite  he  was  given  the  odds  and  ends  of 
the  house  food  that  were  only  fit  to  be  thrown  away- 
crusts  of  bread,  market  parings,  used  tea-leaves, 
and  so  on,  and  these  he  carefully  kept  and  conveyed 
to  poverty-stricken  homes  in  the  town.  Even 
animals  and  birds  had  a  place  in  his  heart,  and  all 
the  cats  and  dogs  knew  him  and  came  to  him  as  to 
a  friend.  He  had  compassion  even  on  the  creatures 
that  tormented  the  missionary.  When  the  heat 


THE  APOSTATE 


77 


was,  as  he  put  it,  “  boilin’,”  he  said,  “  The  fleas,  pore 
tings,  dies  !  ”  His  goodness  was  not  on  the  sur¬ 
face,  for  there  was  no  artificiality  in  his  nature  ,  it 
was  the  expression  of  his  simple  and  sincere  spirit, 
and  had  its  root  in  love  of  God  and  of  man. 

He  was  absolutely  devoted  to  the  Doctor.  On 
one  occasion  when  the  latter  was  ill  he  sat  beside 
him  day  and  night,  watchful,  ready,  unwearied- 
To  obtain  cooler  air  the  Doctor  lay  on  the  broad 
window-sill,  and  during  the  sleepless  hours  he  would 
engage  Moses  in  talk  and  study  the  curious  aspects 
of  Jewish  mentality  that  opened  up  before  him. 
Moses  had  a  remarkable  knowledge  of  the  Bible 
and  had  an  unshakable  faith  in  the  unalterable 
character  of  the  law,  but  he  could  not  distinguish 
between  what  was  law  and  what  was  merely  tradi¬ 
tion  One  of  the  comforts  of  his  religious  life  was 
the  making  of  vows ;  it  was  an  anodyne  which  seemed 
to  soothe  him,  and  he  would  frequently  resort  to  the 
synagogue  at  the  Baths  to  restore  his  soul  with  prayer 
and  the  sacrifices  of  a  humble  and  contrite  heart. 

When  he  left,  after  twelve  years  of  incomparable 
service,  the  Doctor  missed  him  more  than  he  cared 
to  acknowledge. 


V.  THE  APOSTATE 
1887 

In  strong  contrast  to  the  torrid  heat  of  the  summer 
the  weather  became  very  cold,  the  temperature 
falling  on  occasion  as  low  as  430  and  producing  a 


78 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


crop  of  new  ailments  such  as  chills  and  bronchitis. 

r  the  streets  were  sewers  in  summer  they  were 

quagmires  during  the  winter  rains,  and  the  Doctor 

found  it  extremely  difficult  to  move  about  “  In 

some  places,”  he  wrote,  “  I  would  need  a  horse 

to  drag  me  through  the  accumulation  of  mud  and 
tilth. 

When  Miss  Fenton  arrived  with  a  native  assist¬ 
ant  whom  she  had  secured,  a  beginning  was  made 
with  educational  work  among  girls.  The  rabbis 
however,  were  opposed  to  any  developments  beyond 
medical  work,  and  when  the  school  was  opened 
with  a  large  attendance  of  Jewish  girls,  the  fight 
with  official  Judaism  began.  Kherems  were  sent 
down  from  Jerusalem  banning  those  who  counten¬ 
anced  the  institution,  and  all  the  Jewesses  vanished 
leaving  only  a  few  Moslems  and  Christians.  Miss 
Fenton  was  not  dismayed,  it  was  no  new  experi- 
ence  to  her  ;  but  the  Doctor  felt  keenly  the  averted 
looks  and  distant  demeanour  of  the  townspeople 
who  had  hitherto  been  so  friendly. 

This  incident  proved  the  wisdom  of  the  mis¬ 
sionary  statesmen  of  the  Church  in  pioneering  the 
campaign  in  Galilee  with  a  medical  mission  ;  it  was 
the  one  Christian  agency  which  the  ignorance  and 
fanaticism  of  the  East  would  tolerate,  and  it  opened 
doom  which  would  otherwise  have  remained  closed 
and  modified  or  eliminated  opposition  that  seemed 
at  first  implacable.  One  striking  illustration  of 

hostilitvTn1?  m  theSC  dayS‘  A  fabbi  Wh0Se 
hostility  to  the  mission  was  peculiarly  virulent  had 

a  daughter-in-law  suffering  from  a  deranged  mind 

■  he  was  taken  to  the  Synagogue  of  Rabbi  Meyer 


THE  APOSTATE 


79 


at  the  Baths  and  kept  within  the  iron  railing  of  the 
tomb  in  the  hope  that  the  good  spirit  of  the  old 
miracle  worker  might  drive  out  the  demon.  No 
improvement  being  effected,  the  husband  became 
impatient  and  sought  the  advice  of  Dr.  Torrance, 
whose  rational  treatment  soon  restored  her  to  her 
right  mind.  The  result  was  not  lost  on  the  rabbi, 
and  when  he  fell  ill  with  an  inflamed  throat  he 
coveted  the  Doctor’s  skill  but  was  too  proud  to  send 
for  him.  One  morning,  when  he  was  almost 
suffocating,  the  son,  the  husband  of  the  woman 
who  had  been  cured,  rushed  frantically  to  the 
mission  house  and  dragged  the  Doctor  to  the 
patient.  Immediate  relief  was  given  ana  a  complete 
cure  followed.  The  rabbi  was  won  ;  no  man 
could  have  been  more  grateful,  and  he  never  after¬ 
wards  opposed  the  Mission. 

But  it  was  the  fundamental  purpose  of  the 
Doctor  to  commend  Christ,  and  he  felt  that  despite 
the  pressing  claims  of  the  dispensary  and  the  calls 
of  the  sick  in  the  town  he  must  make  a  beginning 
of  some  sort  with  the  evangelistic  work. 

He  found  that  the  Jews  had  no  idea  of  sin 
in  the  Christian  sense  and  therefore  felt  no  need 
for  redemption.  Their  religion  was  based  on  the 
original  Divine  law  as  defined  and  codified  through¬ 
out  the  centuries  by  the  rabbis  :  it  consisted  of  the 
strict  observance  of  a  multitude  of  rules  bearing 
on  every  aspect  of  their  lives.  A  knowledge  of 
these  could  not  be  obtained  without  prolonged 
study,  and  many  spent  their  days  and  nights  in 
endeavouring  to  master  and  obey  them,  but, 
ordinarily,  they  relied  on  the  rabbis  to  keep  them 


80 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

right.  They  found  a  sense  of  satisfaction  in  thus 
patiently  and  loyally  bearing  the  burden  of  these 
minute  regulations  and  no  doubt  it  reacted  on 
their  worship,  but  it  did  not  bring  them  into  a 
personal  relation  with  God.  To  them  sin  meant 
the  breaking  of  any  of  the  rules  laid  upon  them,  and 
their  punishment  was  not  so  much  alienation  from 
God  as  alienation  from  their  fellows  and  the  syna¬ 
gogue  with  all  its  associations  and  social  implica¬ 
tions.  It  was  the  same  external  religion  which 
Jesus  encountered  and  combated,  but  intensified  a 

hundredfold  by  centuries  of  rabbinical  development 
ana  custom. 

The  Doctor  s  aim  was  to  convince  them  that 
sin  was  a  reality,  that  disease  was,  in  a  sense,  a  proof 
of  it,  and  that  there  was  mercy  and  healing  with 
God,  and  so  gradually  to  lead  up  to  the  purpose 
and  power  of  the  Saviour  of  humanity.  For  them 
specially,  therefore,  he  began  a  service  in  Arabic 
every  Wednesday  and  Sunday  evening  in  his  house 
But  not  a  single  Jew  put  in  an  appearance  ;  only  a 
few  Greek  Christians  attended,  and  he  foresaw 
t  e  stern  and  difficult  task  which  an  ordained 
missionary  would  face  when  he  arrived.  Open 
evangelism,  the  frontal  attack,  seemed  in  the  mean¬ 
time  to  be  a  forlorn  hope.  He  fell  back  on  what 
always  tells  with  every  race,  the  daily  example  of  a 
life  lived  in  the  spirit  of  Jesus,  and  the  quiet,  kind 
word  spoken  to  individuals. 

Literature  he  found  a  promising  agent.  The 
leaflet  or  booklet  reached  mind  and  heart  when 
other  means  failed.  A  Jew  who  would  not  listen 
to  teaching  or  preaching,  or  did  so  only  under 


THE  APOSTATE 


81 


protest,  would  carry  away,  hidden  beneath  his  cloak, 
a  tract  or  New  Testament,  and  read  it  in  secret,  for 
possession  of  Christian  books  was  a  crime  punish¬ 
able  with  the  severest  penalties.  Young  and  old 
were  accessible  in  this  way.  One  aged  rabbi  whom 
the  Doctor  visited  asked  for  a  New  Testament, 
read  it  carefully,  and  died  with  it  beneath  his  head. 
It  was  reported  amongst  his  neighbours  that  he 
had  been  a  secret  Christian  disciple  ;  they  buried 
his  body,  but  burned  the  book  that  had  led  him 
astray.  The  ordinary  magic-lantern  was  also  a 
useful  instrument  in  the  Doctor’s  hands.  When 
he  stretched  the  sheet  on  the  wall  of  the  house, 
the  news  spread  like  wild-fire,  and  in  a  trice 
people  were  pouring  into  the  court  and  scram¬ 
bling  over  walls  and  roofs  to  secure  the  best 
view-points. 

But  increasingly  he  realized  the  need  for  a 
colleague  to  grapple  with  the  evangelistic  work  ; 
it  was  not  possible  for  him,  with  his  hands  more 
than  full,  to  attend  to  it  properly.  In  response 
to  a  strong  appeal  which  the  Jewish  Mission 
Committee  issued,  one  of  the  ablest  of  the 
students  in  the  Free  Church  College  of  Glasgow 
offered  himself.  When  the  Doctor  heard  the 
name,  Ewing,  he  recalled  it  as  that  of  a  young 
man  whom  he  had  met  and  had  pleasant  recollec¬ 
tions  of,  and  was  delighted  with  the  intelligence. 
He  recommended  that  he  be  sent  for  preparatory 
training  to  the  Institutium  Judaicum  at  Leipzig, 
conducted  by  Dr.  Delitzsch,  and  the  suggestion 
was  carried  out. 

At  Breslau,  Mr.  Ewing  came  across  a  Jew  named 
6 


82 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Solomon  Goldenberg,  who  had  become  a  Christian 
and  had  just  been  baptized.  He  was  pronounced 
“  far  gone  in  consumption,”  with  only  a  short  time 
to  live  if  he  remained  in  Germany.  Mr.  Ewing 
thought  he  would  suit  the  Galilee  climate  and  the 
Tiberias  work,  and  urged  him  to  offer  his  services 
to  the  Mission.  Taking  the  advice  literally,  he 
scraped  together  sufficient  money  and  started  off 
for  Palestine,  where  one  night  he  appeared  at  the 
Doctor’s  house.  Although  not  well  educated,  he 
possessed  an  intimate  knowledge  of  Jewish  life 
and  literature,  and  seemed  of  a  modest  and  kindly 
nature,  and  the  Doctor  provided  him  with  board 
and  a  small  salary. 

As  the  first  Jew  in  Tiberias  professing  Chris¬ 
tianity,  his  advent  created  an  intense  sensation  and 
commotion.  But  for  the  protection  afforded  by  the 
Doctor  it  would  have  gone  hard  with  him  ;  as  it 
was,  whenever  he  appeared  in  the  streets,  the 
fanatical  Jews  denounced  him  and  drew  up  the 
skirts  of  their  robes  and  stood  aside  as  he  passed. 
They  called  him  “  an  apostate  who  had  been 
bought,”  for  they  could  not  bring  themselves  to 
believe  that  he  was  sincere.  The  rabbis  forbade 
anyone  to  speak  to  him  ;  he  was  denied  admission 
to  Jewish  houses,  and  he  walked,  like  a  leper,  alone 
and  shunned. 

He  fell  back  on  assisting  the  Doctor  at  the  dis¬ 
pensary,  and  little  by  little  his  Christ-like  character 
won  respect  and  wore  down  hostility  ;  then  not  a 
few  were  eager  to  meet  him  and  discuss  his  position 
in  the  hope  that  he  might  be  induced  to  return  to 
the  religion  of  his  fathers. 


THE  CITY  ON  THE  HILL 


88 


VI.  THE  CITY  ON  THE  HILL 

1887 

For  the  hot  months  of  1887  the  Doctor  went  to 
Safed.  Although  not  mentioned  in  the  Bible, 
and  therefore  not  so  familiar  to  the  Christian  mind 
attracted  only  by  Biblical  names,  this  town  was  in 
many  ways  as  interesting  as  any  in  Syria.  It  was 
the  largest  in  Galilee,  and  contained  a  population 
of  twenty-five  thousand,  of  whom  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  thousand  were  Jews,  eight  thousand 
Moslems,  and  the  remainder  Christians.  The 
three  quarters  were  ranged  like  a  collar  on  the 
slopes  and  eminences  round  a  central  hill  which 
was  crowned  with  the  white  limestone  ruins  of  a 
Crusaders’  castle. 

Safed  became  a  Jewish  city  later  than  Tiberias. 
When  the  Jews  were  expelled  from  Spain,  many 
secured  a  refuge  in  Salonica,  but  finding  them¬ 
selves  too  confined,  they  dispatched  agents  to 
Palestine  to  spy  out  a  possible  place  of  settlement. 
Safed  was  fixed  upon,  and  thither  emigrated  a 
company  of  educated  and  well-to-do  members  01 
the  race.  The  community  became  noted  for 
learning  and  piety,  and  the  town  was  for  nearly 
two  centuries  the  literary  centre  of  Jewry  where 

the  sacred  literature  was  printed. 

Some  of  the  most  famous  men  in  Hebrew  story 
were  buried  in  its  vicinity— Hillel,  “  the  teacher 
of  Jesus,”  his  rival  Shammai,  Joseph  Karo,  and 
Simeon  ben  Yochai.  To  the  grave  of  the  last 


84 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

at  Meiron  came,  every  year,  Jews  from  all  quarters 
of  the  globe,  and  weird  scenes  were  enacted.  A 
great  bonfire  was  prepared,  silks,  rags,  and  jewels 
were  thrown  upon  it,  and  the  whole  was  drenched 
with  oil.  The  privilege  of  lighting  the  fire  was 
sold  to  the  highest  bidder.  Intoxicating  drink  was 
to  be  had  for  the  asking,  and  under  its  influence  the 
crowd  engaged  in  dancing  and  shrieking.  When 
me  fire  blazed  up,  boys,  young  men,  and  grey¬ 
beards,  all  gesticulated  and  whooped  like  savages. 
The  revelry  was  kept  up  all  night. 

In  later  years  the  population  of  the  town  was 
augmented  by  Ashkenazim  refugees  from  Rumania 
and  Russia,  who  were  wholly  supported  by  the 
khalukah.  Rigidly  orthodox,  they  employed  their 
time  in  praying,  reading,  and  meditating  on  the  law, 
and  their  seclusion  from  the  main  lines  of  traffic 
and  travel  only  served  to  ossify  their  habits.  It 
was  of  them  that  Laurence  Oliphant  wrote :  “  They 
are  a  set  of  useless  bigots  who  combine  super¬ 
stitious  observance  with  immoral  practice.  They 
are  bitterly  hostile  to  schools,  and  agree  with  those 
western  Jews  who  consider  that  any  scheme  for 
developing  the  material  resources  of  Palestine 
by  means  of  Jewish  industry  is  fantastic  and 
visionary.”  Racial  and  religious  fanaticism  was 
exceedingly  strong  in  the  town,  and  the  quarrels 
between  the  various  communities  often  ended  in 
bloodshed.  When  Lord  (then  Lieutenant) 
Kitchener  was  engaged  on  the  survey  of  Galilee 
he  was  attacked  by  the  Moslems,  and  several  of 
his  party  were  severely  wounded. 

The  only  house  which  the  Doctor  was  able  to 


THE  CITY  ON  THE  HILL 


85 


hire  was  in  the  Moslem  quarter.  His  object  had 
been  to  study  and  rest,  but,  moved  by  the  amount  of 
suffering  about  him,  he  found  himself  entering 
instead  on  hard,  earnest  work  for  which  fortunately 
he  obtained  the  strength.  Sending  for  his  dis¬ 
pensary  attendant  and  his  Scripture  reader,  he 
began  regular  dispensary  work,  and  attended  all 
who  came,  irrespective  of  religion.  Moslems  were 
naturally  in  the  majority,  and  he  was  amazed  at 
the  opportunities  afforded  of  reaching  them  ;  they 
even  admitted  him  to  their  harems  to  attend  sick 
wives,  and  nothing  impressed  him  so  much  with  the 
value  of  medical  missionary  work  as  this  fact.  He 
found  them  rude,  ignorant,  and  superstitious, 
and  absolutely  untouched  by  Christianity.  The 
Jews  also  freely  came  to  him,  laying  aside  their 
suspicion  and  dislike,  and  learnt  that  the  religion  of 
Christ  was  the  essence  of  kindness  and  love.  During 
his  stay,  he  treated  423  Moslems,  124  Jews,  71 
Christians,  and  3  Druzes,  and  there  was  not  one 
who  went  away  without  some  higher  thought  in 
his  mind  or  word  of  comfort  in  his  heart. 

This  experience  suggested  that  summer  quarters 
might  be  established  at  Safed.  No  other  locality 
would  suit  so  well  as  a  health  resort  for  the  Tiberias 
workers.  The  town  was  the  only  place  on  the 
hills  where  houses  could  be  obtained  ;  it  was  about 
4000  feet  above  the  Lake,  and  the  climate  was 
pure  and  bracing,  and  it  could  be  reached  within 
five  hours  by  riding.  The  track,  it  was  true,  was 
merely  a  faint  trail  over  the  roughest  of  rocky 
surfaces,  but  when  once  its  intricacies  were  mastered , 
it  was  fairly  negotiable,  so  that  frequent  visits 


86 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


could  be  paid  to  Tiberias.  The  Doctor  was  also 
convinced  that  the  needs  of  the  town  could  not  be 
left  unmet.  Such  spiritual  destitution  and  bodily 
suffering  could  not  be  allowed  to  exist  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Mission  without  some  effort  being  made  to 
relieve  them.  There  was  no  fear  of  encroaching 
on  the  sphere  of  the  Church  Missions  to  Jews,  the 
aim  of  which  was  to  minister  only  to  the  Jewish 
section  of  the  population.  The  Free  Church 
Medical  Mission  was  wider  in  its  scope  :  it  recog¬ 
nized  no  line  of  demarcation  between  religions, 
and  treated  Jews  and  Gentiles  alike,  so  long  as  the 
love  and  saving  power  of  Christ  was  taught.  Even 
amongst  the  Jews  there  was  work  sufficient  for 
more  than  one  mission. 


VII.  A  DIFFICULT  AUDIENCE 

1887-88 

A  promising  start  was  made  in  Tiberias  at  the 
beginning  of  the  winter  1887-88.  When  the  school 
was  opened  over  fifty  girls  put  in  an  appearance, 
and,  being  in  love  with  their  teacher  and  their 
lessons,  maintained  a  perfect  attendance.  Occa¬ 
sionally  Miss  Fenton  would  have  an  uninvited 
audience  of  women  from  the  town  and  villages, 
curious  to  see  what  was  going  on.  It  was 
admitted  that  the  girls  were  improving  both 
in  their  character  and  their  demeanour  ;  they 
could  even,  it  was  said,  be  distinguished  in  the 


A  DIFFICULT  AUDIENCE 


87 


streets  by  their  bright  looks  and  smart  and  tidy 
appearance. 

The  dispensary  was  now  regularly  open  on 
Mondays,  Wednesdays,  and  Fridays  to  all  comets, 
and  on  the  alternate  days  only  for  special  cases. 
The  Doctor  was  profoundly  sorry  for  the  women, 
who  suffered  so  much,  and  until  his  idea  of  a 
special  department  for  their  treatment  cou  e 
realized,  he  began  a  clinic  for  them  on  Thursdays 
which  was  largely  attended,  Jewesses  being  in  the 

Vhe  question  of  charging  fees  had  been  occupy¬ 
ing  his  mind.  His  impression  of  the  community 
was  that  of  a  pack  of  wolves  ready  to  prey  on  any 
charitable  institution  established  in  their  midst, 
and  he  wished  from  the  first  to  make  it  a  principle 
of  the  Mission  not  to  pauperize  the  people  but  to 
train  them  in  the  grace  of  independence  and  sel  - 
respect.  This  would  also  prevent  the  enemies  of 
the  Mission  accusing  him  of  enticing  away  the 
adherents  of  other  faiths  by  giving  free  treat¬ 
ment.  Dr.  Vartan  was  at  one  with  him  in  ms 
determination,  and  he  therefore  began  to  charge  a 
penny  or  twopence  for  medicines  and  a  larger 
amount  when  he  was  called  out  to  any  who  were 
too  proud  to  visit  the  dispensary  in  person.  1  houg 
there  were  many  remonstrances  the  scheme  worke 
well  and  justified  his  belief  in  their  capacity  to 

P  ^Shortly  after  sunrise  patients  would  begin  to 
appear,  often  fighting  to  obtain  early  ^Imittance, 
and  by  nine  o’clock  the  leewan-which  had  been 
turned  into  a  waiting-room— was  crowded  as  we 


88 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


as  the  courtyard  outside  and  all  other  available 
pace.  1  o  all  a  numbered  paper  was  given  on 
whtch  was  written  their  name  and  age,  spfce“*g 
le  t  for  the  prescription  and  notes  of  the  case 
ns,  which  they  retained,  served  as  a  ticket  of 
c  n^®SIOn  so  long  as  it  was  kept  clean. 

When  the  Doctor  came  on  the  scene  he  read 

?m  <he  B;bl'  a"d  a  sh»«  address, 
i  his  was  the  feature  of  attendance  which  all  classes 

known  TI  U,npalatable’  But  the  Doctor  made  it 

and  tlJtl  KWaS  un  CSSentlal  Part  of  his  work 
«  Td  who  obJected  to  it  could  stay  away. 

he  saffi  t0  br,be  you  Wlth  free  treatment,” 

he  said,  and  I  must  hold  the  little  service  as  mv 

vo.ISl°lrn  tC  tS  mC  t0  d°’  and  y°U  can  come  or'  not  as 
y  u  like.  I  am  not  sailing  under  any  false  colours  ” 

They  liked  his  straightforward  candour,  and  the 

majority  soon  became  accustomed  to  the  process 

obiec“dnc§all  d6  l§aUntlet’  I™'  the  °thers  who  still 
objected  called  him  in  to  their  homes 

In  some  ways  it  was  a  difficult ‘service.  The 

to  ask  Tfh  Slm?!y  Clearl-V’  often  pausing 

to  ask  ,f  they  understood,  and  his  illustrations 

were  always  taken  from  the  everyday  scenes  S 

which  they  were  familiar.  But  he  had  the  con- 

sciousness  that  he  was  working  against  time  Here 

a  hnred  p«"«.  Si' 

theB  bodilv^n  an  lr  minds  0CCUPied  ™th 
•  ,  1  Y  ndition  ,  some  believed  he  was  talk- 

,  g  3Sphemy’  odiers  could  not  understand  what 
he  was  saymg  He  would  often  be  interrupted  • 

ou?  ’0^COhr’  n>n  t  bC  Irg’”  3  would  cry 

- .  or  Oh,  Doctor,  when  will  you  be  done  ?  I 


A  DIFFICULT  AUDIENCE 


89 


have  an  awful  pain  inside  !  ”  Occasionally  a  tall 
Arab  from  the  desert  spaces  would  rise  and  stretch 
himself,  wrap  his  loose  cloak  about  him,  and  stroll 
outside  and,  after  a  mouthful  or  two  of  fresh  air, 
stroll  leisurely  in  again.  All  were  obviously  re¬ 
lieved  when  he  finished.  Yet  he  was  there  to  teach 
the  good  news  from  God,  and  no  better  opportunity 
was  to  his  hand.  That  the  service  was  not  unprofit¬ 
able  he  often  learnt  in  the  town,  where  his  addresses 
created  interest  and  were  discussed  in  workshop 
and  market.  He  found  also  that  the  Jews  who 
passed  through  the  waiting-room  became  less 
prejudiced  and  were  readier  than  their  fellows  to 
enter  into  religious  conversation. 

When  the  service  concluded  a  bell  rang,  and  the 
patients  passed  into  the  consulting-room  in  the 
order  of  their  numbers,  and  thence  into  a  passage, 
where  they  received  their  medicine  from  the  native 
dispenser,  and  made  their  exit  through  a  separate 
door.  Meanwhile  Goldenberg  was  looking  after 
the  Bible  depot  and  reading-room,  off  the  leewan, 
talking  to  the  Polish  Jews  who  did  not  understand 
Arabic,  and  distributing  literature.  His  task  was 
often  a  thankless  one ;  some  scoffed  and  cursed 
him,  some  listened  in  stony  indifference,  others 
went  out  to  avoid  him. 

The  majority  of  patients  suffered  from  medical 
ailments,  but  there  was  a  large  number  of  minor 
operations,  and  not  a  few  surgical  cases  had  to  be 
performed  under  the  disadvantage  of  inadequate 
accommodation  and  equipment.  Very  common 
were  wounds  and  broken  bones — the  result  of  high¬ 
way  robbery  and  assault  in  the  neighbourhood, 


90 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


which  sometimes  proved  fatal.  Remarkable  cures 
were  effected  which  made  the  Doctor  thankfully 
exclaim,  “  God  answers  prayer.”  There  was,  for 
instance,  a  case  of  a  young  boy,  the  grandson  of  an 
Arab  chief,  who,  after  a  severe  operation,  recovered 
in  two  days.  Such  was  a  miracle  in  the  eyes  of 
the  people  and,  being  noised  abroad,  increased  the 
stream  of  patients.  He  began  to  be  accounted  a 
magician,  and  he  mingled  trembling  with  his 
gratitude,  for  let  a  few  deaths  occur  and  his  re¬ 
putation  would  be  gone  ;  he  would  be  hounded  out 
of  the  town,  and  all  prospect  of  mission  work  would 
be  at  an  end.  But  no  fatalities  occurred,  and  his 
position  was  strengthened  week  by  week. 

Calls  came  frequently  from  the  villages  and 
bedouin  encampments,  and  to  these  he  trudged  on 
foot,  toiling  over  the  hot,  trackless  land,  unconscious 
of  hardship,  anxious  only  to  deepen  the  hold  of  the 
Mission  on  the  people.  Occasionally  the  summons 
was  from  a  greater  distance.  One  of  the  earliest 
was  from  an  upland  village  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  Lake.  A  woman  who  had  benefited  by  treat¬ 
ment  at  liberias  had  a  relapse  and  was  unable  to 
travel.  Dressed  in  Arab  costume,  which  he  fre¬ 
quently  assumed  in  order  to  attract  less  attention, 
the  Doctor  rode  to  the  lower  Jordan,  forded  it,  and 
ascended  the  hills  to  the  little  Moslem  settlement 
of  mud  houses,  where  he  arrived  at  sunset.  After 
examining  the  patient  and  partaking  of  the  family 
supper  of  a  mess  of  pottage,  he  squatted  with  the 
men  and  women  round  the  wood  fire,  as  much  of 
an  Arab  in  appearance  as  themselves,  and  talked 
to  them  of  the  Good  Physician  who  used  to  walk 


91 


THE  PROCESS  OF  BUYING  LAND 

about  the  shores  of  the  Lake  below.  They  knew 
nothing  of  Him  and  were  greatly  interested 

When,  exhausted  and  wearied,  he  begged  to  be 
allowed  to  retire,  they  spread  a  mattress,  pillow, 
and  quilt  beside  the  fire.  He  endeavoured  to  sleep, 
but  what  with  the  smoke,  the  fleas,  the  snoring  of 
the  men,  and  the  smell  of  the  sheep  in  the  room,  he 
found  it  impossible. 

After  midnight  some  women  who  were  sitting 
with  the  patient,  thinking  the  Doctor  slumbered, 
began  to  talk  about  him  in  low  tones.  “  Did  you 
hear  how  he  spoke  to  you  ?  ”  the  patient  said.  That 
is  how  he  speaks  to  the  people  in  Tiberias— he 
speaks  to  the  women  as  if  they  were  men.  Down 
there  they  don’t  regard  it  as  wrong  to  do  such  and 
such  things.”  Having  visited  the  Girls’  School  she 
had  learned  some  of  the  “  strange  words  ^  they 
taught  there.  She  u  knew  them,  she  said,  off  by 
heart.”  “  What  are  they  ?  ”  the  watchers  asked. 
“  God  have  mercy  on  me  a  sinner,  ”  she  answered. 
They  groped  after  the  meaning  of  the  phrase,  and 
the  patient  showed  that  she  had  some  dim  idea  of 
its  significance.  Tears  came  into  the  Doctoi  s 
eyes  as  he  lay  and  listened. 


VIII.  THE  PROCESS  OF  BUYING  LAND 

1888 

The  need  for  hospital  accommodation  was  daily 
becoming  more  urgent.  There  were  cases  which 


92 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

the  Doctor  could  not  treat  in  the  consulting-room, 
and  operations  which  would  have  required  his' 
continued  supervision.  One  day  Moses  appeared 

ZlthJ  St0ry  that  an  old  Moslem  lay  dying  beside 
tne  Mosque.  The  Doctor  went  with  him  down  a 
narrow  lane,  the  middle  of  which  was  an  open 
sewer,  and  entered  a  rude  hut.  The  man  lay  on 
me  damp  ground  on  a  rotten  mat,  at  his  head  was 
a  broken  water-jar ;  his  sores  were  black  with 
l_.es,  and  he  was  moaning  and  calling  for  water, 
friendless  and  hopelessly  ill  he  had  been  left 
to  die  in  the  very  shadow  of  the  Mosque  where 
men  worshipped  Allah  the  All-Merciful.  Every¬ 
thing  that  was  possible  was  done  by  the  Christian 

physician  to  ease  his  sufferings,  which  were,  how- 
ever,  soon  over. 

Shortly  afterwards  a  black  Moslem  slave 
crawled  into  the  dispensary  and  was  treated  for  a 
msease  brought  on  by  exposure  and  destitution. 
He  returned  on  several  occasions  and  was  then 
missed.  The  Doctor  found  him  in  the  Mosque 
unable  to  move,  and  starving.  As  he  was  homeless, 
the  Doctor,  recalling  the  fate  of  the  other  Moslem 
had  him  conveyed  to  the  house,  where  a  bed  was 

“ade  “P  in  the  depot  room,  Miss  Torrance  and 
Miss  Fenton  nursing  him  by  turns.  A  simple 
operation  relieved  him,  but  he  was  too  weak  to 
ia  ly  He  listened  intently  to  the  story  of  Jesus 
told  him  in  all  tenderness  and  simplicity,  and  ere 

:‘CTf  CCi  ,3t  ld“ght>  he  was  repeating  the  words, 

The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all 

sin,  as  if  striving  to  fathom  the  comfort  in  their 
meaning.  He  was  the  first  in-patient  of  the  Mission 


THE  PROCESS  OF  BUYING  LAND  93 

Another  case  was  that  of  an  old  blind  Jewess 
upon  whom  the  Doctor  performed  an  operation 
for  cataract  in  her  home.  He  took  every  pre¬ 
caution  to  ensure  that  the  room  should  be  kept  clean 
and  sweet,  but  one  day  he  found  that  the  husband 
had  shut  the  door  and  windows  and  had  been 
cooking  food  on  the  fire  ;  the  place  was  full  of 
smoke,  and  the  woman’s  eyes  were  ruined.  The 
next  case  of  the  kind  he  treated  in  his  own  house 
with  complete  success. 

But  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  sooner 
hospital  accommodation  was  secured,  the  better  it 
would  be  for  the  patients  and  his  own  reputation. 
More  satisfactory  arrangements  were  also  necessary 
for  housing  the  staff,  and  there  grew  up  in  his  mind 
a  scheme  for  a  complete  suite  of  buildings  com¬ 
mensurate  with  the  importance  which,  he  was  con¬ 
vinced,  the  work  was  going  to  assume.  The  real 
difficulty  was  to  secure  a  site  in  the  congested 
town.  He  looked  longingly  at  the  great  vacant 
tracts  outside.  No  one  was  allowed  to  builu 
there  ;  but  in  any  case,  in  the  lawless  condition  of 
the  country,  it  would  not  be  wise  to  be  isolated. 
Of  necessity  the  Mission  premises  must  be  within 

the  walls. 

Only  one  spot  seemed  suitable  for  the  purpose. 
On  the  north  side  of  the  town  the  ground  rose,  and 
where  it  adjoined  the  boundary  and  immediately 
below  the  ruined  pile  of  the  Crusadeis  castle, 
there  was  some  waste  land  with  a  couple  of  ruined 
rooms  and  a  single  olive  tree.  Although  a  fine  site, 
and  commanding  a  view  of  the  Lake,  no  one  would 
live  on  it,  probably  because  of  its  rocky  character 


94 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


and  its  contiguity  to  the  open  country.  It  belonged 
to  the  mufti,  who  was  the  local  religious  head  of 
the  Moslems  and  their  official  representative  in  all 
relations  with  the  Government,  a  well-educated 
man  of  charming  manners.  The  Doctor  had 
coveted  this  piece  of  ground  from  the  time  of  his 
arrival,  but  he  was  careful  to  avoid  mentioning 
the  fact,  especially  to  the  mufti,  who  often  visited 
him,  for  to  have  done  so  would  have  been  to  lose  it. 
His  patience  was  rewarded.  One  day  the  mufti 

began  to  talk  of  the  land,  and  offered  to  sell  it  to  the 
Doctor. 

“  Come  and  have  a  look  at  it,”  he  said. 

The  Doctor,  seemingly  indifferent,  accompanied 
him  to  the  spot. 

“  What  is  your  price  ?  ”  he  asked. 

“  Seventy-five  napoleons.” 

What  about  that  piece  down  where  the  palms 

are  ?  indicating  another  plot  on  the  edge  of  the 
beach. 

I  will  sell  that  too  for  another  seventy-five.” 

Ah,  well,  1 11  think  about  it,”  said  the  Doctor, 
repressing  his  eagerness.  He  allowed  two  or  three 
days  to  pass.  Although  he  had  no  authority  from 
the  Jewish  Mission  Committee  to  purchase,  the 
matter  was  too  important  to  admit  of  delay,  and 
feeling  sure  that  his  action  would  be  endorsed,  he 
went  to  the  mufti  and  agreed  to  take  both,  half  the 
amount  to  be  paid  down,  and  the  other  half  within 
a  month,  on  the  understanding  that  the  official 
registration,  giving  validity  to  the  Moslem  deed 
would  be  to  hand  by  that  time.  The  Registration 
Officer  stated  that  the  matter  would  have  to  be 


THE  PROCESS  OF  BUYING  LAND  95 

referred  to  higher  departments  at  Acre.  'This 
was  done,  but  no  answer  came.  The  Doctor  knew 
that  bakhshish  was  expected,  but  he  had  set  his 
face  against  the  practice,  and  resolved  to  stand  firm. 
The  month  passed  ;  he  paid  the  money  and  took 
possession,  the  mufti  honourably  fulfilling  his  part 
of  the  contract.  Then  the  Doctor  received  an 
anonymous  letter  which  said  that  if  he  would  come 
with  £50  to  the  registration  office  he  would  receive 
his  title.  This  was  evidently  written  by  an  under¬ 
ling  with  the  connivance  of  his  superior  officer, 
both  of  whom  would  share  the  amount. 

The  Doctor’s  Scottish  blood  was  roused.  He 
travelled  to  Beyrout,  the  seat  of  the  wilayet 
under  which  Tiberias  was  administered,  saw  the 
Vice-Consul,  and  obtained  an  introduction  to  the 
Wali  or  chief  government  official,  and  to  him 
told  his  story.  The  Wali  shrugged  his  shoulders, 
no  doubt  asking  himself  why  this  troublesome 
hakim  could  not  conform  to  the  custom  of  the 
country. 

“  Well,”  he  said  aloud,  “  I  will  have  to  obtain 
authority  from  Constantinople.  I  will  send  a 
telegram.” 

The  Doctor  knew  what  kind  of  reply  would  be 
sent.  There  would  be  two  :  an  open  one,  reading, 
“  You  must  not  trouble  the  British  ”  ;  and  a  private 
one,  saying,  “  Skin  the  wretched  British.”  Time 
passed.  He  made  repeated  inquiries,  but  was 
always  informed  that  no  answer  had  arrived  ;  and 
at  last  he  said  : 

“  Look  here !  I  know  your  system,  and  I  am 
quite  willing  to  be  reasonable  and  recompense 


'H)  A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

obligements,  but  this  is  blackmail,  and  I  won’t 
stand  it.” 

“Go  home,  and  I’ll  send  another  telegram  and 
let  you  know,”  was  the  reply. 

He  returned  to  Tiberias  uneasy  as  to  the  out¬ 
come.  But  Providence  came  to  his  aid.  The 
Governor  of  the  town  became  sick,  called  in  the 
°ctor,  and  was  carefully  tended  and  restored  to 
ealth.  In  his  gratitude  he  listened  sympathetic¬ 
ally  to  the  representations  of  one  or  two  of  the 
Doctor’s  native  friends,  and  the  title  was  secured 
without  the  payment  of  a  single  piastre. 

The  Doctor  had,  however,  to  sign  a  declaration 
that  no  hospital,  school,  or  church  would  be  erected 
on  the  ground  without  express  permission  from  the  • 
ublime  Porte.  Further,  when  receiving  local 
permission  to  build  two  dwelling-houses,  he  had 
to  sign  an  undertaking  that  they  would  not  be 
converted  into  any  of  these  institutions  without 
sanction  from  Constantinople. 


IX.  AT  THE  BACK  OF  BEYOND 

1888 

The  patients  who  came  from  the  vast  uplands  of 
trans-Jordania,  drawn  by  tales  of  the  foreign 
wonder-worker,  awakened  in  the  Doctor  a  desire 
to  see  that  region  for  himself.  One  day  three 
dromedaries  appeared  outside  the  house,  and  three 


Some  Patients  of  the  Early  Days 


This  was  a  snapshot  taken  in  evening  light 


AT  THE  BACK  OF  BEYOND 


97 


Arabs  entered.  They  were  a  father,  who  was 
blind,  and  his  two  sons.  The  case  was  hope¬ 
less. 

“  But  I  am  not  a  specialist  in  eyes,”  the  Doctor 
said,  as  he  gave  them  coffee,  “  and  as  you  have 
come  so  far,  you  should  go  to  the  British  Ophthal¬ 
mic  Hospital  in  Jerusalem.” 

“  God  forbid  !  ”  they  replied.  “  We  know  you, 
and  we  do  not  know  the  doctor  in  Jerusalem.  If 
you  say  nothing  can  be  done,  then  nothing  can  be 
done.  Farewell.” 

“  Peace  go  with  you,”  said  the  Doctor.  And 
mounting  their  dromedaries  they  rode  away. 

Many  of  these  Ishmaelite  patients,  on  leaving, 
begged  him  to  come  and  see  them  in  their  homes, 
and  he  would  jocularly  remark  that  as  there  was 
no  law  where  they  dwelt,  his  life  would  not  be 
safe.  u  By  the  beard  of  Mohammed,”  they  swore, 
“  not  a  hair  of  your  head  will  be  injured  ;  you 
will  be  received  and  honoured  as  a  distinguished 
guest.” 

The  idea  fell  in  with  his  inclination,  but  what 
hindered  him  at  first  was  the  necessity  of  keeping 
closely  to  his  daily  routine.  When  he  responded 
to  a  call  from  a  far-off  village  it  meant  that  he  was 
attending  to  one  patient  and  disappointing  a  score 
or  more  of  others  at  the  consulting-rooms  ;  and  he 
was  jealous  of  the  good  name  of  the  Mission.  He 
felt  like  a  mother  who  was  nursing  a  child  that  could 
not  be  left  ;  and  as  there  was  no  one  to  take  his 
place,  he  stuck  to  his  post. 

But  in  the  spring  at  the  time  of  Passover,  when 
the  Jews  forsook  the  consulting-rooms  in  the 
7 


98 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


fear  that  leaven  might  be  amongst  the  medicines, 
he  took  his  tent  and  a  mule  loaded  with  medical 
paraphernalia  and  set  out  for  some  spot  on  the 
Lake  or  hills  where  Arabs  were  numerous.  A 
favourite  spot  was  the  plain  on  which,  it  was  said, 
the  five  thousand  were  fed.  Another  was  the 
mouth  of  the  Jordan,  where  the  water  flowed 
into  the  Lake  between  level  tracts  of  weed  and 
black  sand. 

Notable  occasions  were  those  when  he  vaccinated 
the  people.  Small-pox  was  always  raging  in  one 
region  or  other,  and  the  people  were  apt  to  become 
panic-stricken  when  it  broke  out  in  their  vicinity. 
They  knew  of  inoculation  and  practised  it,  but  the 
Doctor  introduced  the  vaccine  method.  At  first 
they  were  suspicious  and  hung  back,  and  the 
difficulty  was  to  secure  a  patient,  but  after  one  had 
received  the  treatment,  his  task  was  to  prevent 
them  mobbing  him  in  their  eagerness  to  undergo 
it.  He  never  came  across  a  conscientious  ob¬ 
jector  ;  if  he  had  chosen  to  become  a  wandering 
vaccinator  he  would  have  had  a  free  pass  through 
the  length  and  breadth  of  Arabia  and  a  living  to 
boot. 

It  was  when  the  heat  rendered  work  impossible 
and  the  town  activities  closed  down,  that  he  took 
his  tent  and  medical  equipment  and  went  farther 
afield  into  the  wilderness  east  of  the  Jordan.  On  the 
way  he  would  spend  a  night  at  Gadara  (Urn  Keis), 
1300  feet  above  sea-level,  pitching  his  tent  be¬ 
side  the  old  Grasco-Roman  theatre  and  temples. 
Many  of  the  people  lived  in  the  underground  rock- 
cut  tombs,  and  even  slept  in  the  sarcophagi.  Then 


99 


AT  THE  BACK  OF  BEYOND 

he  would  make  his  way  slowly  to  other  villages  and 
encampments,  keeping  always  on  the  outskirts, 
away  from  the  filth  and  smells.  Many  of  the  dis¬ 
tricts  were  populous,  and  at  one  place  he  saw  as 
many  as  20,000  camels.  In  nearly  every  village 
he  found  a  Jew  from  Tiberias,  in  a  little  shop, 
or  peddling,  exposed  to  great  hardships,  and  running 
the  risk  of  assault  and  robbery,  the  local  Moslem 
Governors  being  both  bigoted  and  unscrupulous. 
At  a  few  of  the  nearer  centres,  Christian  communities 
of  the  Greek  Orthodox  Church  existed,  but  of  an 
extremely  debased  type. 

Gradually  he  reached  the  outskirts  of  civiliza¬ 
tion  and  passed  into  the  desert  region.  His  fame 
had  preceded  him,  and  he  was  invariably  welcomed 
and  hospitably  entertained.  “  Don’t  shackle  your 
horses,”  said  one  sheikh  1  to  him  ;  “  let  them  go 
and  eat  what  they  like,  and  if  they  are  lost  we  will 
give  you  better  ones.”  Camels  would  be  sent 
to  shift  his  tents  and  baggage  to  a  stage  farther 
on,  and  when  he  arrived  he  would  find  a  feast 
ready  and  a  crowd  of  patients  awaiting  him.  He 
never  charged  these  children  of  the  desert  for 
advice,  but  made  them  pay  a  nominal  sum  for  the 
medicines,  and  if  they  were  too  poor  to  afford 
that,  they  brought  eggs  or  chickens,  butter  or 
honey,  sometimes  a  goat  or  lamb,  and  often  barley 
for  his  horses.  In  this  way  he  made  tolerably 
sure  that  they  would  use  the  medicines,  while  he 
earned  their  respect  as  a  professional  man  ;  Other- 

S^h  is,  like  rabbi,  a  term  of  honour.  Among  the  wandering 
rabs  the  headman  is  so  called  ;  so  is  the  head  of  a  village  or  a  party. 

It  literally  means  “  old  man.”  Y 


100 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


wise  they  might  have  considered  him  wealthy,  and 
a  proper  subject  for  spoliation.  The  medicines 
he  gave,  whenever  possible,  in  the  form  of  pills  or 
tabloids,  as  spoons  and  cups  varied  so  much  in  size 
that  no  definite  dose  could  be  prescribed. 

He  endeavoured  to  impart  some  rudimentary 
notion  of  hygiene  and  sanitary  science,  and  as 
many  were  naturally  intelligent,  he  found  no 
difficulty  in  impressing  them  with  the  practical 
value  of  his  teaching.  One  scorching  day  he  sought 
shelter  in  the  guest-room  of  a  sheikh,  who  offered 
him  coffee  and  water.  The  former  he  accepted, 
but  he  politely  declined  the  latter  on  the  ground  that 
he  only  drank  spring  water.  “  Oh,”  said  the  sheikh, 
“  heavenly  water  is  better  than  earthly  water.” 
The  Doctor  discovered  that  the  heavenly  water 
had  percolated  through  dunghills  into  a  rock-cut 
cistern,  and,  while  cool,  was  not  colourless.  “  No 
wonder,”  he  told  the  sheikh,  “  that  diarrhoea, 
dysentery,  and  fever  are  endemic  in  your  village. 
Bring  your  chief  men.”  They  gathered  in  the 
guest-room,  and  the  Doctor  delivered  a  homely 
health  lecture  on  the  thesis  that  cleanliness  was 
next  to  godliness,  and  gave  them  directions  how 
to  carry  out  the  principle  in  regard  to  potable 
water.  The  Moslem  religion  has  a  good  deal  to 
do  with  eating  and  drinking,  and  they  took  the 
preaching  to  heart,  as  a  subsequent  visit  to  the 
village  proved.  From  this  elementary  platform 
the  Doctor  proceeded  to  higher  issues,  and  spoke  of 
clean  language,  clean  thinking,  clean  living,  and 
clean  souls. 

Ere  he  was  awake  in  the  mornings  his  tent  would 


AT  THE  BACK  OF  BEYOND 


101 


be  surrounded  by  a  picturesque  crowd  impatient 
to  see  and  consult  the  hakim.  He  would  come  out 
and  gaze  at  the  throng  and  realize  the  hopelessness 
of  giving  detailed  attention  to  every  individual,  and 
as  many  suffered  from  the  same  ailments,  he  sorted 
them  out  into  classes  and  dealt  with  them  whole¬ 
sale.  Everything  was  done  in  the  public  eye.  As 
he  treated  one  man,  half  a  dozen  suffering  from  the 
same  complaint  would  hang  on  his  words  and  follow 
his  demonstration,  and,  beyond  these,  hundreds  of 
others  were  intently  watching  and  listening.  By 
patiently  explaining  the  causes  and  history  of  the 
diseases,  he  found  that  the  patients  took  a  more 
intelligent  view  of  their  condition,  and  were  readier 
to  follow  his  directions. 

Surgery  appealed  more  to  them  than  medicine  ; 
it  was  something  they  saw  and  understood  ;  and  it 
was  the  Doctor’s  remarkable  skill  in  operations 
which  gained  him  a  reputation  that  extended  far 
into  Arabia.  Cases  of  a  minor  nature  came  in 
almost  hourly  ;  those  of  a  serious  character  he 
would  only  deal  with,  if  acute  ;  others,  that  could 
wait,  he  sent  to  Tiberias.  Occasionally  he  would 
use  chloroform,  to  which  they  submitted  without 
demur — Arabs  as  a  rule  abstain  from  all  forms  of 
alcohol — and  the  wonder  of  it  never  palled  upon  the 
onlookers.  They  would  not,  however,  submit  to 
amputation.  “If  a  Moslem  loses  a  limb,”  the 
Doctor  was  told,  “  he  expects  to  be  without  it  in 
the  world  to  come.” 

He  was  as  interested  in  their  own  medical 
methods  as  they  were  in  his.  Here  are  some  of  the 
curious  facts  he  gathered  : 


102 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


-They  attribute  disease  to  God,  to  devils,  to  the  evil  eye  ; 
and  as  cures  they  pray,  and  wear  hejabs  (extracts  from  the 
Koran  and  devices  written  by  some  dervish  and  kept  in  a 
leathern  pouch  attached  by  a  string  to  the  neck  or  hair  of  head 
or  to  the  wrist).  Wandering  doctors  or  holy  men  attempt  to 
drive  out  the  evil  spirits  and  cure  diseases  by  incantations, 
poundings  (massage  !),  writing  and  tattooing  on  the  body,  as 
well  as  by  various  decoctions  and  plasters.  Beads,  bones, 
shells  (for  dropsy),  alum  and  other  salt  crystals,  the  paws  of  a 
hyena  and  other  animals,  antique  coins,  etc.,  are  worn  as  charms, 
and  a  good  price  is  often  paid  for  them.  Special  diets  are  often 
ordered  ;  for  example,  bread  without  salt  and  raisins  for  forty 
days.  The  actual  cautery,  by  red-hot  iron  or  smouldering  rag, 
is  the  most  popular  remedy,  being  applied  over  the  seat  of  pain 
in  nearly  every  part  of  the  body  but  chiefly  over  joints.  The 
humoral  theory  of  rheumatism,  sciatica,  etc.,  is  carried  out  by 
the  application  of  a  pea  over  the  cauterized  point  to  keep  the 
wound  open  and  promote  a  flow  of  the  evil  humour  for  days 
months,  or  even  years.  Setons,  issues,  acupuncture,  counter- 
irritants,  scarifying,  venesection,  and  many  of  the  methods  of 
Avicenna  were  carried  out  by  the  Arabs.  Special  men  are 
mown  as  bone-setters.  They  make  a  special  starch  bandage 
with  flour  paste  and  white  of  egg  spread  on  calico.  They  use 
reeds  as  splints,  but  seldom  or  never  fix  the  approximate  joints, 
or  bandage  the  distal  end  of  a  limb,  and  by  tightening  the  limb 
too  much  frequently  produce  gangrene.  Compound  fractures 
are  usually  fatal.  Bleeding  from  wounds  is  stopped  by  the 
tourniquet,  actual  cautery,  the  application  of  coffee,  ashes,  red 
earth,  etc.,  under  a  bandage.  Wounds  I  have  seen  dressed  with 
leaves,  rags,  skins  ;  and  as  application  to  gun-shot  wounds  I 
have  seen  both  tar  and  treacle  used. 


Always  when  opportunity  occurred  he  gave 
simple,  natural  talks  on  religion  and  the  claims  of 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  they  listened  with  attention. 
One  night  during  a  great  drought  he  spoke  in 
prayer  of  the  anxiety  of  the  people,  and  asked  God 
to  send  rain  and  relieve  their  distress.  A  listener 


AT  THE  BACK  OF  BEYOND 


103 


was  so  impressed  that  next  day  he  brought  one  of 
the  sheikhs  and  a  large  number  of  his  followers  to 
hear  the  petition  and  join  in  it. 

The  magic  lantern  was  a  source  of  unbounded 
delight.  One  evening  the  women  crowded  in  such 
numbers  on  the  roof  of  a  man’s  house  that  the 
timbers  began  to  give  way.  As  they  were  deaf  to 
the  owner’s  demands  to  descend,  he  pulled  down 
the  lantern  sheet  and  carried  it  off.  Another  spot 
was  found,  and  the  exhibition  proceeded  undis¬ 
turbed. 

In  his  travels  he  came  across  a  sheikh  who  had 
once  been  carried  to  the  dispensary  with  a  diseased 
leg  ;  hopeless  of  recovering  the  use  of  it,  he  was 
amazed  to  find  himself,  later,  walking  back  to  his 
desert  home.  It  was  little  wonder  that  he  welcomed 
the  Doctor  with  a  grateful  heart. 

“  His  leg  continues  well,  and  from  the  moment  we  arrived 
at  his  village  until  we  left  it  he  kept  near  us.  He  was  anxious 
to  serve  us  in  every  way  possible.  He  brought  us  barley,  a 
sheep,  hens,  eggs,  and  bread  for  food,  and  helped  us  as  we 
attended  to  the  sick.  He  had  supper  with  us  the  evening  we 
arrived,  and,  as  usual,  we  had  reading  and  prayer  in  Arabic 
afterwards.  The  chief  men  of  the  village  calling  en  masse  upon 
us  just  as  we  had  finished,  he  told  them  what  we  had  been 
doing,  and  begged  me  to  tell  them  what  I  had  been  reading. 
I  spent  about  two  hours  as  I  sat  at  the  tent-door  addressing  a 
company  inside  and  outside  my  tent.  They  had  questions  to 
ask,  not  in  opposition,  but  simply  for  further  explanation. 
Each  morning  and  evening  Hamad  joined  us  in  our  reading, 
and  on  Sunday  he  was  a  long  time  with  us.  He  already  knew 
the  Gospels  fairly  well,  so  we  began  the  Acts  together.  He 
stopped  his  harvest-men  from  working  the  Sunday  we  were 
there.  I  avoided  passing  any  remarks  on  Mohammed  or  the 
Koran,  but  I  could  see  there  was  a  struggle  going  on  in  his 


104 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


mind,  and  he  once  said  to 
he  was  not  like  Christ.’  ” 


me,  Mohammed  was  a  prophet,  but 


This  sheikh  invited  the  Doctor  to  exhibit  the 
magic  lantern  in  the  mosque,  but  he  prudently 
declined  the  offer,  for  such  an  act  might  have  been 
deeply  resented  and  destroyed  his  influence.  He 
eld  the  meeting  instead  in  the  guest-house.  On 
this  occasion  the  pictures  illustrated  scenes  in  the 
hie  of  Joseph.  At  the  end  the  sheikh  declared  that 
several  of  the  incidents  had  been  missed  out.  This 
was  true,  and  the  Doctor  found  that  he  had  been 

given  him  in 

Tiberias  ‘Then,”  said  the  Doctor,  “you  tell 
the  people  the  whole  story,”  and  to  his  surprise 
was  informed  that  he  had  been  reading  from  the 
book  to  crowds  of  astonished  hearers.  “  A  man 
like  that,”  remarked  the  Doctor,  “  is  not  far  from 
the  Kingdom,  but,  humanly  speaking,  it  would  be 
impossible  for  him  to  profess  Christianity  and  live 

m  t  le  .^nd-  He  would  get,  unawares,  a  cup  of 
coffee  with  a  little  arsenic  in  it,  and  die  what  would 
be  called  a  natural  ’  death.” 

When  the  long  day’s  work  was  over  the  Doctor 
would  sit  in  the  cool  of  the  brilliant  nights  and  talk 
with  his  bedouin  visitors— men  who  dressed  and 
ived  and  toiled  as  in  the  days  of  Abraham— and 
see  deep  into  their  hearts.  He  found,  what  did  not 

i  ■  *  ,  .  ^  the  veneer  of  race  and 

religion  and  ignorance  and  fanaticism,  the  en¬ 
crustation  of  ages  of  isolation,  their  real  nature 
was  little  different  from  that  of  other  peoples  more 
advanced  in  the  scale  of  civilization. 


CURSES 


105 


X.  CURSES 

1888-89 

Mr.  Ewing,  who  was  accompanied  by  his  wife, 
arrived  in  1888.  In  all  mission  fields  it  is  the 
appearance  and  conduct  of  a  missionary  which 
excite  interest  rather  than  what  he  says,  and  the 
newcomer  was  scrutinized  with  keen  interest. 
The  impression  he  made  was  that  of  a  big  man  in 
every  way  ;  he  was  tall  and  muscular  in  body,  and 
robust  in  mind  and  spirit — a  type  which  the  towns¬ 
people  respected  and  the  roving  bedouin  loved. 
He  won  all  by  the  buoyancy  of  his  nature,  his 
quick  sympathy,  and  his  patience  and  reasonable¬ 
ness.  Thoroughly  evangelical  he  was  anxious  to  be 
at  work,  and  began  at  once  with  an  interpreter,  but 
it  was  not  surprising  that  he  felt,  as  he  said,  like  “  a 
muzzled  lion.”  There  was  something,  however, 
in  his  trained  and  cultured  voice,  ringing  through 
the  still  air,  which  of  itself  arrested  attention  and 
drew  listeners  from  the  courts  and  roofs  around. 
A  special  aptitude  for  Arabic  soon  carried  him  over 
the  initial  difficulty  of  the  language. 

He  was  much  impressed  by  the  hold  which  Dr. 
Torrance  had  gained  on  the  people.  “  Whatever 
they  may  think  of  the  motives  of  those  who  sent 
him  here,”  he  wrote,  “  the  Doctor  himself  is  cer¬ 
tainly  one  of  the  most  popular  men  in  the  town. 
There  is  no  mistake  about  his  intentions,  for  he 
makes  no  secret  of  his  real  purpose,  but  he  is  so 
obviously  their  friend,  and  so  straightforward  in 


106 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

his  work,  that  the  most  suspicious  are  led  to  trust 
him.” 

As  Lie  Doctor  had  anticipated,  the  new  direct 
attack  on  the  religious  convictions  of  the  people 
aroused  bitter  opposition.  Jews  and  Catholics 
were  at  one  in  resenting  the  development,  and 
kherems  were  thundered  from  both  the  synagogue 
and  the  church.  Time  after  time  the  preacher  at 
his  meetings  was  faced  by  rows  of  empt}^  benches. 
He  was  not  discouraged  ;  hostility  was  better  than 
indifference,  and  there  were  minor  indications  that 
the  work  was  telling.  One  Sunday  when  the  priest 
in  the  Greek  church  had  pronounced  the  solemn 
words,  “  Let  the  curse  of  God  rest  on  all  who 
attend  Mr.  Ewing’s  meetings  !  ”  a  boy  shouted  from 
the  door,  “  Cursed  be  every  one  who  does  not 
attend  Mr.  Ewing’s  meetings  !  ”  It  was  the  fact 
that  the  congregation  was  more  amused  than 
terrified  that  made  the  incident  significant.  With 

the  Christians,  indeed,  the  fear  of  censure  never 
lasted  long. 

Even  the  jews  took  risks.  They  would  come 
cilia  stand  outside  and  listen,  so  that  when  charged 
with  disloyalty  they  could  swear  in  true  legalistic 
fashion  that  they  were  not  at  the  meeting.  But  on 
the  whole  the  rabbinical  power  was  too  strong  to 
be  antagonized,  and  now  and  again  a  case  would 
occur  which  showed  what  would  happen  if  one 
went  too  far.  An  orphan  boy,  attracted  by  the 
sweetness  of  the  new  teaching,  talked  secretly 
with  Goldenberg,  who  passed  him  on  to  Mr. 
Ewing.  The  fact  becoming  known,  his  relatives 
secured  him,  punished  him  severely,  and  left 


CURSES 


107 


him  bound  hand  and  foot  for  some  days,  with 
but  the  barest  allowance  of  food,  and  then  sent 
him  to  Jerusalem  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
missionary’s  influence. 

The  girls’  school  promised  so  well  that  a  build¬ 
ing  was  hired  in  the  Jewish  quarter  to  accommodate 
it,  Miss  Fenton’s  quarters  being  an  old  synagogue. 
Like  the  evangelistic  meetings,  however,  it  came 
under  the  ban  of  the  Greek  authorities.  “  It  is 
better,”  the  priest  said,  “  that  the  girls  should  grow 
up  ignorant  and  bad  than  that  they  should  come 
under  the  influence  of  the  Protestant  women.” 
All  the  Greek  girls  vanished  from  the  school,  but 
in  this  case  the  authorities  had  to  reckon  with 
the  mothers  ;  these  had  been  so  pleased  with  the 
change  in  the  character  and  development  of  their 
daughters  that  they  protested  in  a  body  and  the 
prohibition  was  withdrawn.  The  Jewish  girls  were 
more  of  an  uncertain  quantity  :  loving  the  school 
and  the  Bible  lesson  and  hymn-singing,  they  learnt 
more  than  their  parents  desired,  and  now  one  and 
now  another  would  be  absent  for  a  time,  or  be  taken 
away  permanently.  The  Moslem  pupils  were  the 
most  regular  in  attendance,  although  new  officials 
with  a  zeal  for  the  faith  would  often  create  diffi¬ 
culties.  On  one  occasion  a  rival  school  was 
attempted,  but  the  girls  came  to  Miss  Fenton  and 
said,  “We  learn  nothing  at  our  school,  and  we  are 
far  behind  the  Mission  girls.”  One  who  persisted 
in  attending  the  Mission  school  was  severely 
beaten. 

As  there  were  usually  over  sixty  scholars  in  the 
schoolroom  the  scene  was  a  lively  one,  but  those 


108 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


who  witnessed  the  cheerful,  well-ordered  activity 
and  recalled  the  wild  and  untrained  condition  of 
the  girls  a  few  years  previously  declared  that  Miss 
Fenton  had  achieved  a  miracle. 

It  was  not  surprising  that  the  more  thoughtful 
townspeople  wished  a  similar  school  for  boys. 
This  was  a  more  difficult  problem.  Little  store 
was  set  on  girls  by  any  of  the  religious  com¬ 
munities,  but  boys  were  a  different  proposition. 
Amongst  the  Jews  it  was  the  boys  on  whom  de¬ 
volved  the  sacred  duty  of  handing  down  the  beliefs 
of  their  lathers,  and  they  were  jealously  guarded 
against  all  heretical  influences.  Mr.  Ewing  felt 
that  everything  depended  on  the  wideness  of  the 
curriculum  and  the  quality  and  thoroughness  of 
the  teaching  ;  the  education  would  have  to  be 
made  so  good  that  the  people  would  simply  be 
forced  to  take  advantage  of  it.  If  Hebrew  were 

included  as  a  subject  the  Jews  would  be  specially 
attracted. 

i  he  feeling  grew  ;  several  small  boys  were 
actually  sent  to  Miss  Fenton  in  anticipation  of  a 
school  being  opened  ;  and  then  a  deputation  from 
the  Christian  population  asked  the  missionaries 
formally  to  establish  one.  They  guaranteed  an 
attendance  of  twenty-one  boys,  and  agreed  to 
submit  to  any  conditions  that  might  be  imposed. 
Mr.  Ewing  plainly  indicated  that  if  the  school  were 
opened  he  would  oe  bound  to  teach  religious 
trutii  as  he  knew  it.  Ihe  deputation  shrugged  its 
shoulders.  For  ourselves,”  was  the  reply,  “  we 
are  satisfied  with  our  religion,  but  the  boys  will  be 
free  to  judge  for  themselves.”  “  What  does  the 


CURSES 


109 


priest  think  of  it  ?  ”  he  asked,  turning  to  that 
dignitary.  The  priest’s  reply  was  unexpected. 

‘ ‘  They  may  become  angels  if  they  like  !  ”  he  said. 

Simultaneously  in  Scotland  an  assistant-school¬ 
master,  Mr.  W.  M.  Christie,  offered  himself  for 
the  work.  He  had  a  natural  aptitude  for  languages, 
and  already  knew  Hebrew  well,  and  the  Committee 
appointed  him  to  organize  and  conduct  the  educa¬ 
tional  side  of  the  Mission.  Like  Mr.  Ewing,  he 
was  sent  to  Leipzig  for  a  special  course  of  instruc¬ 
tion,  and,  along  with  Mrs.  Christie,  travelled  out 
by  Syria,  where  he  remained  for  a  time  to  study 
Arabic.  On  entering  the  country  he  had  the 
customary  annoyance  at  the  Customs  House. 
When  a  hymn-book  was  found  in  his  baggage  it 
was  challenged  because  it  contained  “  Hold  the 
Fort.”  “  We  Turks,”  he  was  told,  “  do  not  allow 
people  to  hold  forts  in  this  country.” 

The  missionaries  had  now  to  consider  a  further 
problem.  If  the  scholars  were  influenced  to  become 
Christians,  what  of  their  relation  to  their  fellows  ? 
The  path  from  Judaism  to  Christianity  was  as 
difficult  as  that  traversed  by  the  hero  of  the 
Pilgrim's  Progress.  It  would  not  be  possible  for  a 
convert  to  exist  as  a  unit  in  the  Jewish  community  ; 
even  if  his  life  were  not  endangered  he  would  be 
excommunicated  and  ostracized,  and  would  be 
unable  to  earn  a  livelihood.  Salvation  meant 
starvation.  The  remedy  was  to  start  industrial 
and  agricultural  departments  in  which  the  boys 
could  be  taught  and  trained  to  be  economically  in¬ 
dependent.  There  were  great  possibilities  in  the 
country.  To  the  north  of  the  town  was  the  rich 


110 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


plain  of  Gennesaret  waiting  to  be  cultivated,  while 
the  Lake  teemed  with  fish  which  energy  might  make 
the  basis  of  a  profitable  trade. 

i  .  •  .  one  of  the  visitors  to  Galilee 

at  this  time  was  John  Stephen,  well  known  in 
shipping  circles,  whose  practical  mind  was  im¬ 
pressed  with  the  advantage  which  the  fishinc 
scheme  would  be  to  the  Mission.  He  agreed  at 
his  own  expense  to  place  a  fishing-boat,  with  the 
necessary  gear,  on  the  Lake.  Everything  in  such 
a  country  naturally  depended  on  the  freedom  of 
action  secured  from  a  Government  which  was 
mimical  to  any  progress  that  did  not  put  monev 
into  its  own  purse.  For  some  years  a  modest 
lving  was  earned  by  the  men  employed.  Other 
fishermen,  however,  resented  what  they  thought 
unfair  competition  and  made  matters  difficult 
Government  exactions  were  heavy.  Perhaps  more 
ilful  hands  would  have  commanded  greater 
results.  As  it  was,  the  earnings  were  absorbed 
by  wages  and  repairs,  and  with  the  wearing  out  of 
e  craft  and  tackle  the  enterprise  came  to  an  end . 

"  mother  gift  to  the  mission  was  made  through 
e?0r‘S  °f  Mr'  J-  R-  Miller,  a  member  of  the 
JhTr/  JVllr0n  CTmittee’  a  sailing-boat,  called 

of  ti?Gl’HbeinguTbSCnbed  f°r  by  the  yacbtsmen 
J  .  h?  ,Clyde’  wh1lle  a  Punt  named  the  Kelvin  was 

west  TV?  "1'  I?*8  in  Glas&r°w  and  the 
west.  The  transport  of  both  from  Haifa  to  Tiberias 

ZJZ°  Waf°nS.’  Cach  drawn  by  four  horses, 
caused  much  excitement,  the  people  turning  out 

all  along  the  route  to  inspect  and  discuss  diem. 

They  became  the  talk  of  Tiberias  because  of  their 


CURSES 


111 


fine  lines  and  finish,  and  there  were  crowds  down 
to  watch  them  being  launched.  It  was  November, 
and  heavy  rains  were  falling,  but  in  a  fair  interval 
the  Doctor  and  Mr.  Ewing  rowed  the  Kelvin  out, 
the  little  craft  cutting  the  water  in  a  way  which 
excited  the  admiration  of  the  spectators.  The 
trial  trip  of  the  Clyde — flying  a  blue  flag,  worked 
by  Mrs.  Vartan — took  place  later,  when  the  Doctor 
received  a  call  from  the  Baths.  A  number  of 
townspeople,  including  the  Governor’s  daughters, 
accompanied  him,  and  all  were  delighted  with  the 
swift  passage. 

The  Clyde  became  known  as  the  Doctor’s 
vessel,  and  there  was  no  more  welcome  sight  to  the 
people  along  the  shores  of  the  Lake.  The  scenes 
reminded  him  of  those  connected  with  the  ministry 
of  Jesus.  One  day  he  sailed  her  to  Magdala,  and 
after  addressing  those  who  gathered  round  he 
attended  to  their  ailments.  Down  the  hillside 
came  a  donkey  bearing  an  old  blind  man  suffering 
from  senile  cataract.  He  was  led  to  the  Doctor 
through  the  crowd  of  spectators,  who  laughed  at 
the  idea  of  a  cure  being  effected.  After  some 
temporary  treatment  the  Doctor  asked  him  to  come 
to  the  dispensary  at  Tiberias,  which  he  did.  So 
successful  was  the  operation  that  the  patient  found 
his  own  way  back  to  his  astonished  friends.  “  What 
did  he  do  to  you  ?  ”  they  asked  eagerly  in  the  manner 
of  the  men  of  old.  “  How  opened  he  your  eyes  ?  ” 
And  after  the  same  manner  he  replied,  “  One  thing 
only  I  know,  that  whereas  I  was  blind  now  I 
see.  ...  If  this  man  were  not  of  God  he  could 
do  nothing.” 


112 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


XI.  IN  PERIL  ON  THE  LAKE 


he  Lake  was  usually  a  scene  of  tranquil  beauty, 
but  occasionally,  as  in  Christ’s  day,  a  sudden  and 
severe  storm  would  break  upon  it ;  the  waves  would 
dash  against  the  shore-wall  and  come  swirling 
over  into  the  garden,  the  high  wind  would  uproot 
the  trees  and  damage  the  roofs,  the  soaking  rain 
would  create  havoc  among  the  town  houses,  scores 
of  which  would  collapse,  the  inmates  seeking  shelter 
m  the  mosque  and  synagogue  and  in  the  Mission 
premises.  Both  the  Clyde  and  Kelvin  were 
anchored  off  the  sea-wall,  and  were  reached  by 
swimming,  and  occasionally  during  one  of  these 
gales  they  would  break  adrift.  Early  one  morning 
the  Doctor  was  roused  from  sleep  with  the  tidings 
that  the  Kelvin  was  away  from  her  moorings  and 
was  being  dashed  against  the  wall.  A  strong  and 
skilful  swimmer,  he  plunged  into  the  water  and 
with  great  difficulty  secured  the  little  craft. 

Shortly  afterwards  he  and  Mr.  Ewing  had  an 

exciting  adventure,  which  the  latter  thus  vividly 
describes  :  J 


The  storm  had  raged  all  night  with  increasing  strength, 
orrential  ram,  gathered  in  roaring  cataracts,  rushed  down  the 
mountain-slopes,  ploughing  up  the  roads  and  gouging  out  great 
trenches  m  the  softer  soil.  Our  earthen  roofs  were  severely 
tned,  and  not  all  stood  the  test.  The  plash  of  muddy  water 
rom  the  ceiling  of  your  bedroom  is  a  comfortless  thing  The 
dawn  brought  temporary  cessation  of  rain  ;  the  mountains  east 
an  west  of  the  sea  appeared  to  support  a  canopy  of  threatening 
cloud,  blown  about  by  the  wind  ;  while  far  and  wide  the  crested 
billows  rolled,  driven  eastward  by  the  fury  of  the  tempest 


The  Mission  Buildings  are  on  the  high  ground  to  the  left 


A  Bedouin  Tent 


The  Hill  overlooking  Tiberias  on  which  Herod’s  Castle 


WAS  BUILT 


IN  PERIL  ON  THE  LAKE 


113 


With  the  first  light  of  dawn  came  a  panting  messenger  from  the 
shore  with  tidings  that  our  small  boat,  the  Kelvin ,  had  broken 
from  her  moorings  and  disappeared.  After  serious  consulta¬ 
tion,  Torrance  and  I  resolved  to  set  out  in  the  Clyde ,  which,  fast 
held  by  her  anchor,  still  proudly  breasted  the  waves,  in  search 
of  the  missing  craft.  The  doctor  made  his  way  through  the 
troubled  waters  and  brought  her  to  shore. 

Then  our  difficulties  began.  To  manage  the  boat  in  such 
a  sea  a  third  hand  was  absolutely  necessary.  One  fisherman 
after  another,  tempted  by  the  assurance  of  generous  pay,  agreed 
to  venture  ;  but  after  a  glimpse  of  the  sea  from  the  shore,  with 
one  consent  they  turned  sadly,  but  resolutely,  away.  To  go 
out  in  such  weather,  they  declared,  was  to  court  maut  fdlbahr, 

‘  death  in  the  sea.’  We  determined  to  go  ourselves.  At  the 
last  moment  one,  Mukhayil  by  name,  not  bolder  than  the  rest, 
but  more  devoted  to  us,  stepped  forward.  Convinced  though 
he  was  that  the  enterprise  meant  almost  certain  disaster,  he 
could  not  let  us  face  the  peril  alone.  The  doctor  and  he  rowed, 
I  grasped  the  tiller,  and  the  brave  little  vessel  shot  out  from  the 
shore.  A  lugubrious  crowd  had  gathered  meantime,  and  many 
lamentable  voices,  drifting  down  the  wind,  brought  us  the 
comforting  assurance  that  we  should  never  return  alive.  The 
company  soon  climbed  the  roofs  whence  their  eyes  strained 
seaward,  wistfully  wondering  if  they  should  witness  our 
calamity. 

‘  The  storm  blew  from  the  west,  so  the  waters  close  to  the 
shore  were  troubled  chiefly  by  the  refluent  surge.  Toiling 
outward,  we  passed  beyond  the  shelter  of  the  mountains  and 
encountered  the  full  fury  of  the  blast  upon  the  open  sea.  Oars 
were  shipped,  the  mast  was  stepped,  and  despite  the  entreaties 
of  our  Arab  friend  the  big  lug-sail  was  hoisted.  The  canvas 
filled,  bellied  out,  and  strained  upon  the  mast.  Instantly  the 
little  craft  leapt  forward  over  the  billows.  To  the  eyes  on 
shore  she  seemed  literally  to  fly. 

As  we  neared  the  middle  of  the  Lake  the  hurricane  grew  in 
iolence.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  never  before  or  since  has  a  like 
speed  been  made  by  a  sailing-boat  on  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 
Mukhayil  crouched,  a  woebegone  figure,  between  the  thwarts. 
The  doctor  held  the  sail-rope  with  a  loop  round  the  belaying- 

pin.  Even  thus  the  pressure  of  the  sail  threatened  to  wrench  it 

8 


114 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


from  his  hands  ;  so  he  fixed  it  with  a  knot.  The  perils  of  our 
position  were  now  plain  enough.  The  Clyde  had  been  designed 
by  skilful  craftsmen  who,  however,  were  ignorant  of  the  con¬ 
ditions  prevailing  on  our  little  sea.  She  was  too  round  of 
bottom,  and,  with  the  spread  of  canvas  she  carried,  liable  to 
capsize  in  a  squall.  Our  ballast  was  water  in  barrels  fitted  for 
the  purpose.  As  long  as  the  wind  remained  steadily  behind  us, 
however  tempestuous,  we  might  hope  to  weather  the  gale. 
But  any  sudden  veering  might  precipitate  our  doom.  Some¬ 
thing  like  this  happened. 

“  We  were  about  the  middle  of  the  sea.  The  storm  was  at 
its  height.  In  a  moment  the  wind  dropped  ;  the  sail  flapped 
loosely,  and  we  lay  tossing  on  the  boiling  waters.  A  furious 
squall  from  the  east  burst  upon  us.  It  swung  the  sail  round. 
Torrance  just  eluded  a  blow  from  the  bottom  spar  as  it  flashed 
to  port,  the  end  of  it  grazing  my  left  eyebrow.  The  knot  held 
the  rope  fast,  and  the  boat  heeled  over.  In  a  twinkling  the  water 
was  rushing  in  over  the  gunwale,  and  a  moment  or  two  would 
have  sufficed  to  swamp  us.  The  grey  bundle  between  the 
thwarts  suddenly  sprang  to  life  and  loosened  the  cord  at  the  foot 
of  the  mast.  The  boom  slid  down.  The  sail  collapsed.  The 
boat  at  once  righted  herself  and  we  began  to  breathe  again.  It 
was  with  a  thrill  of  horror  that  the  incident  was  seen  by  the 
gazers  from  the  roofs. 

“  Torrance  and  I  grasped  the  oars  and  tried  to  keep  the  boat 
in  front  of  the  wind,  which  had  now  resumed  its  original 
direction,  hoping  that  it  would  drive  us  towards  the  eastern 
shore.  Progress,  however,  was  alike  slow  and  painful.  We 
decided  to  hoist  the  sail  once  more.  Mukhayil  fell  on  his  knees 
and  implored  us  to  desist.  But  what  were  we  to  do  ?  If  the 
wind  held  there  was  greater  danger  of  upsetting  without  the 
sail  than  with  it  ;  and  anyway  death  from  exposure  would  be 
worse  than  death  by  drowning.  So  up  went  the  sail,  and  in  an 
incredibly  short  time  we  found  ourselves  approaching  the  steeps 
to  the  north  of  Gamala.  The  waves  were  breaking  wildly  on  the 
shore.  We  might  not  go  too  close.  No  sign  of  the  missing 
Kelvin  could  we  descry.  We  lowered  the  sail,  shipped  the  mast, 
and  threw  out  the  anchor.  It  was  a  sandy  bottom  ;  the  anchor 
dragged.  We  tried  to  guide  the  boat  so  as  to  run  her,  bow  on, 
upon  a  stretch  of  sand.  But  we  had  not  reckoned  on  the  force 


IN  PERIL  ON  THE  LAKE 


115 


of  the  waves.  They  swung  her  round  into  a  trough,  then,  lift¬ 
ing  her  bodily,  hurled  her  out  on  the  sandbank,  where  she 
landed,  mouth  downward,  with  the  three  of  us,  by  some 
miracle,  safe  alongside. 

“  They  were  three  anxious  men  who  consulted  there  as  to  the 
next  move.  Mukhayil’s  suggestion  that  we  should  walk  home 
round  the  shore  seemed  to  us  a  counsel  of  despair.  It  might 
possibly  be  safe  ;  it  would  certainly  be  humiliating.  Finally 
we  put  our  strength  to  it,  set  the  boat  upon  her  keel,  and  in  the 
teeth  of  the  breakers  ran  her  again  into  the  sea.  We  were  our¬ 
selves  up  to  the  armpits  before  we  thought  it  safe  to  scramble  on 
board.  By  Herculean  eflorts  with  the  oars  we  got  her  out  a  little 
way  from  the  shore  and  some  distance  southward,  where  we 
found  bottom  on  which  the  anchor  held.  But  swinging  at 
anchor  in  such  a  storm  has  few  attractions,  especially  when  the 
miseries  of  mal  de  mer  are  added.  Up  came  the  anchor,  and  at 
the  first  stroke  of  the  oars  sickness  disappeared. 

We  found  the  Kelvin  to  the  south  of  Gamala,  stranded  on  a 
bit  of  sandy  beach  hardly  longer  than  herself,  with  reaches  of 
jagged  rock  and  stones  on  either  hand,  backed  by  thorns  and 
oleander  bushes.  On  any  other  spot  in  the  neighbourhood 
she  would  have  been  broken  to  matchwood.  She  had  suffered 
considerable  damage  as  it  was,  but  seemed  quite  worth  salving. 
After  strenuous  work,  with  the  stout  oars  of  the  Clyde  for  levers, 
we  got  her  once  more  afloat.  Now  arose  a  serious  problem. 
Could  we  hope  to  tow  this  water-logged  craft  against  the  wind 
across  a  seven-mile  breadth  of  stormy  sea  ?  Our  experience 
thus  far  had  been  too  much  for  Mukhayil,  who  could  give  little 
further  help.  It  did  not  look  promising  ;  but  we  could  see 
nothing  else  to  do.  Torrance  and  I  settled  down  to  the  oars 
and  just  doggedly  pulled  away.  The  wind  compelled  us  to 
make  a  detour  to  the  south-west,  greatly  lengthening  our 
journey.  vVe  were  still  far  from  land  when  night  dropped  her 
sable  curtain  over  the  storm-tossed  waters,  leaving  us  only  the 
scarcely  visible  outline  of  a  mountain  top  against  the  sky  by 
which  to  steer  our  course. 

“  The  reappearance  of  our  sail  after  apparent  disaster  brought 
no  great  comfort  to  the  watchers  in  Tiberias.  We  quickly 
passed  beyond  their  sight  in  the  dimness  of  the  storm,  and  they 
had  little  doubt  that  we  would  perish  amid  the  uproar  of  waters 


116 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


on  the  eastern  coast.  Many  remained  on  the  outlook  ;  but  as 
the  hurricane  lasted  all  day  and  no  trace  of  us  had  been  seen 
when  darkness  fell,  their  worst  fears  seemed  to  be  confirmed. 
A  tin  of  petroleum  was  taken  to  a  lofty  roof  and  set  on  fire.  A 
bright  flame  shot  far  up,  splitting  the  black  canopy  of  night. 
It  was  a  foilorn  hope  ;  but  if  by  some  strange  chance  we  still 
survived  it  might  help  to  guide  us  home. 

“  By  this  time  we  were  making  better  progress  in  the  com¬ 
parative  shelter  of  the  western  hills,  and  were  not  so  very  far 
away.  We  could  see  distinctly  the  black  figures  of  our  friends 
silhouetted  against  the  glare  as  they  moved  between  us  and  the 
flame.  1  orrance  bent  his  finger,  placed  it  in  his  mouth,  and  gave 
vent  to  a  wild  whistle  which  was  well  known  as  the  Doctor’s  call. 
It  pierced  the  clamour  of  the  tempest  and  fell  on  their  ears 
with  startling  effect — almost  like  a  voice  from  the  dead.  A 
gieat  shout  reached  us  across  the  intervening  gloom  ;  and  a 
welcome  of  unrestrained  enthusiasm  greeted  us  as  we  'stepped 
ashore  at  the  old  city  wall.  Weary  beyond  utterance  were  our 
bodies,  but  a  sense  of  triumph  in  having  achieved  our  object 
sustained  our  spirits.  For  although  the  little  Kelvin  never 
quite  recovered  from  the  results  of  her  great  dash  for  freedom, 

she  long  continued  to  serve  as  a  useful  auxiliary  to  her  bie  sister’ 
the  Clyde. 

“  I  am  afraid  that  the  experienced  fishermen  of  Tiberias— 
certainly  Mukhayil — thought  our  enterprise  more  reckless  than 
brave.  Looking  back  after  an  interval  of  thirty  years  I  am  half 
inclined  to  agree  with  them  !  ” 


XII.  A  FIERCE  CAMPAIGN 
1889-90 


When,  in  1889,  the  Doctor's  furlough  was  due, 
five  y^ais  after  he  had  entered  on  his  task,  the  way 
became  clear  for  his  going  home  by  the  advent  of  a 
Syrian  who  was  able  to  take  his  place. 


A  FIERCE  CAMPAIGN 


117 


Dr.  Selim  Daoud  was  the  son  of  a  well-to-do 
merchant  in  Damascus  who,  proud  of  his  boy’s 
intelligence,  sent  him  to  school  and  college  at 
Beyrout,  where  he  proved  one  of  the  cleverest 
of  students.  After  graduating  in  medicine  he  pro¬ 
ceeded  to  Edinburgh  for  post-graduate  work.  It 
was  a  harsh  change  from  the  sunny  climate  of 
Syria,  and  he  rebelled  at  the  dull  skies.  His  land¬ 
lady,  with  characteristic  Scottish  carefulness,  was 
continually  pulling  down  the  blind  in  his  room, 
and  he  was  as  constantly  pulling  it  up.  “  But  you 
will  spoil  my  carpet,”  she  protested.  “  My  dear 
woman,”  he  replied,  “  this  is  my  sun  from  Damascus 
and  I  want  to  see  him  !  If  your  carpet  gets  spoiled 
I  will  give  you  a  new  one.”  He  came  under  the 
influence  of  a  young  man,  a  member  of  the 
Y.M.C.A.,  and  was  converted  and  joined  the 
communion  of  the  Free  Church. 

On  returning  to  Damascus  he  was  associated 
for  a  time  with  Dr.  Mackinnon,  and  he  then  agreed 
to  act  as  locum-tenens  for  Dr.  Torrance.  The  latter 
found  him  to  be  a  Christian  of  an  exceedingly  fine 
type  :  gentle  and  bright  and  high  souled,  a  musician, 
yet  devoted  to  science,  one  of  the  most  promising 
natives  on  the  Syrian  horizon.  His  character  and 
knowledge  of  the  language  and  people  made  him  an 
ideal  substitute  for  the  Doctor,  who  left  for  home 
with  an  easy  mind.  In  March,  accompanied  by  a 
cavalcade  from  the  town,  he  and  Miss  Torrance — 
returning  after  her  term  of  voluntary  service — 
rode  up  the  winding  path  through  a  veil  of  rain, 
and  on  the  summit  were  sped  on  their  way  with  the 
stately  salutations  of  the  East. 


118 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


The  Doctor  was  in  time  for  the  General 
Assembly.  It  was  the  Jubilee  year  of  the  Jewish 
Mission,  and  to  signalize  the  occasion  a  special 
fund  was  inaugurated,  for  the  purpose,  amongst 
others,  of  securing  the  necessary  buildings  at 
Tiberias.  Dr.  Andrew  Bonar,  the  sole  survivor  of 
the  famous  Mission  of  Inquiry  in  183c),  was  present 
on  the  Jewish  night,  and  it  was  a  coincidence 
that  Dr.  Torrance  should  be  there  to  tell  how  that 
dream  which  he  and  M‘Cheyne  had  dreamt  half 
a  century  before  had  materialized  on  the  shores 
of  the  Lake  of  Galilee.  When  he  had  last  ad¬ 
dressed  the  Assembly,  he  said,  there  had  not  been  a 
single  worker  in  the  field  ;  now  there  were  ten,  and 
the  future  was  full  of  hope.  A  prediction  he  uttered 
almost  startled  his  audience.  “  I  make  bold  to 
say  that  Tiberias  will  some  day  become  one  of  the 
most  valuable  and  most  important  winter  resorts 
in  the  world  ” — an  allusion  to  the  medical  value 
and  commercial  possibilities  of  the  hot  springs. 
He  had  always  a  greater  idea  of  the  capabilities  of 
Palestine  than  most  people.  “  The  Jordan  valley,” 
he  would  say,  “  will  yet  be  a  gold  mine  ;  the  Dead 
Sea  will  be  a  live  sea  by  and  by.”  But  it  was  not 
on  these  grounds  that  he  appealed  for  new  mission 
buildings  ;  he  dwelt  on  the  suffering  of  the  people 
and  on  the  need  for  healthy  homes  for  the  mis¬ 
sionaries.  “We  are  living  in  native  houses  ;  our 
devoted  lady  teacher  has  been  seriously  ill  owing  to 
the  insanitary  state  of  the  dwelling.” 

The  Committee  had  plans  and  estimates  pre¬ 
pared,  and  word  was  sent  out  to  Mr.  Ewing  to 
begin  the  houses  for  the  missionaries  and  teacher 


A  FIERCE  CAMPAIGN 


119 


and  the  dispensary.  It  was  the  first  outcome  of  the 
Jubilee  Fund. 

The  Doctor’s  satisfaction  was  marred  by  cabled 
news  that  Dr.  Selim  Daoud  had  been  drowned  in 
the  Lake.  He  and  Mr.  Ewing  had  gone  down  from 
Safed  to  Tiberias  on  a  visit.  The  night  was  hot, 
and  before  turning  in  Dr.  Selim,  who  was  an 
expert  swimmer,  went  out  in  a  small  boat  to  bathe. 
He  was  seized  with  cramp  and  sank.  When  the 
man  in  charge  of  the  boat  reached  the  spot  he  could 
not  be  seen.  All  that  night  and  next  day  and  the 
following  night  search  was  made  for  the  body, 
which  was  eventually  found  close  to  the  wall  of  the 
town.  Seldom  had  Tiberias  seen  such  a  funeral. 
The  Governor,  the  officials,  and  the  Jewish, 
Moslem,  and  Christian  populations,  followed  the 
coffin  as,  preceded  by  soldiers,  it  was  taken  to 
the  cemetery.  When  Mr.  Ewing  paid  the 
searchers,  Mukhayil,  who  had  worked  harder  than 
any,  said,  “No,  no,  I  cannot  take  any  money. 
Dr.  Selim  was  my  brother,”  and  turned  away 
in  tears. 

The  vacant  position  was  filled  by  Dr.  Khalil 
Sa  adi,  also  a  graduate  of  Bey  rout  College,  who  was 
ibn  Arab ,  of  Arabian  blood,  which  was  a  recom¬ 
mendation  to  the  people,  and  he  made  a  good 
beginning.  “  But,”  wrote  Mr.  Ewing,  “  Dr. 
Torrance’s  face  will  be  a  welcome  sight  to  many 
in  Tiberias.”  In  the  circumstances  the  Committee 
thought  it  would  be  well  for  Torrance  to  curtail 
his  furlough,  and  arranged  that  he  should  spend  the 
following  summer  in  Scotland.  The  Doctor  cheer¬ 
fully  agreed,  and  after  being  ordained  an  elder  he 


120 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


left  in  October,  and  within  a  few  weeks  was  again 
in  the  midst  of  his  duties. 

The  medical  work  of  the  winter  was  exception¬ 
ally  heavy,  though  chiefly  confined  to  the  people 
of  the  town  on  account  of  severe  weather  and 
interrupted  communications.  As  many  as  a  hun¬ 
dred  patients  per  day,  chiefly  Jews,  passed  through 
his  hands,  but  he  was  never  able  to  treat  all  who 
came.  When  the  strain  lessened  he  took  advantage 
of  the  presence  of  an  assistant  to  make  an  extended 
tour  of  the  villages  beyond  the  Jordan,  where  he 
found  the  customary  smiling  welcome.  The 
weather  proved  cold  and  damp,  and  dengue  was 
raging,  and  when  he  returned  he  suffered  repeatedly 
from  the  fever.  A  visit  to  Gaza,  on  the  desert 
highway  to  Egypt,  where  Mr.  Huber  was  now 
stationed,  restored  his  strength. 

The  house  of  the  clerical  missionary,  a  massive 
stone  structure,  spacious  and  cool,  with  windows 
fitted  with  wire  gauze  as  a  protection  against  mos¬ 
quitoes,  being  finished,  was  occupied  by  Mr.  Ewing, 
who  declared  enthusiastically  that  the  situation 
was  unequalled  in  Palestine — as,  for  beauty  and 
interest,  it  undoubtedly  was.  The  roof  commanded 
almost  a  complete  sweep  of  the  whole  Lake  and 
surrounding  district  ;  every  spot  that  the  eye  rested 
upon  was  associated  with  some  imperishable 
memory,  and  below  was  the  flat-roofed  town  which 
now  seemed  a  place  apart.  As  the  finest  building- 
on  the  lakeside,  the  house  was  long  an  object  of 
attraction  to  the  inhabitants  ;  many  of  the  rabbis 
paid  it  a  visit,  and  it  was  eyed  with  a  curious  and  re¬ 
spectful  interest  by  the  men  and  women  of  the  desert. 


A  FIERCE  CAMPAIGN 


121 


Evangelistic  work  went  on  as  usual  ;  a  Sunday 
school  was  started  and  flourished  ;  and  the  Scripture 
readers  found  readier  entrance  into  the  homes  of 
the  people,  where  they  came  across  many  instances 
of  the  inadequacy  of  the  Jewish  legalistic  faith  to 
sustain  the  sick  and  the  dying. 

One  aged  Jew  said  to  Goldenberg,  “  My  dear 
friend,  I  must  journey  hence.” 

“  Whither  ?  ”  said  Goldenberg. 

“  Thither,  where  all  men  must  go.” 

“You  fear  the  journey  ?  ” 

“  Assuredly,  since  I  know  not  if  I  have  sufficient 
for  the  costs  of  such  a  journey.” 

“  Have  you  not  kept  the  law,  since  you  are  thus 
afraid  ?  ” 

“  Certainly  I  have  kept  the  laws,  but  who  knows 
if  I  have  rightly  fulfilled  them  all  ? 

The  educational  side  of  the  work  gave  the 
greatest  encouragement.  Miss  Fenton’s  girls’  school 
was  the  most  popular  institution  in  the  town. 
When  a  pupils’  exhibition  was  held,  and  the  parents 
heard  their  daughters  recite  and  sing,  they  declared 
they  were  “  too  clever.”  “We  must  put  blue 
beads  on  them,”  they  added,  “  to  charm  away  the 
evil  eye.”  Pointing  to  the  rows  of  alert,  clean,  and 
tidy  girls,  Miss  Fenton  said  to  a  visitor,  “  These 
a  short  time  ago  were  unwashed,  unkempt,  ragged 
children  playing  about  the  streets.” 

The  Doctor  himself  took  every  occasion  to 
pay  informal  visits  to  the  people.  There  was 
nothing  that  ht  more  enjoyed.  Moses,  who  knew 
every  passage  and  house  in  the  town,  was  his  guide, 
and  led  him  to  many  a  curious  experience.  The 


122 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


people  were  always  cordial  in  their  welcome,  but 
regarded  him  as  a  doctor,  and  immediately  brought 
some  bodily  ailment  to  his  notice.  “  No,  no,”  he 
would  say,  “  I  am  not  a  hakim  just  now.  I  am  just 
a  man  like  yourself.  Let  us  talk.”  Then  with  a 
reference  to  the  Talmud  on  the  table  he  would  work 
the  conversation  round  to  religious  topics,  and  a 
discussion  would  follow.  To  verify  a  statement 
his  Hebrew  Bible  would  come  out,  and  he  would 
ask  them  to  turn  to  the  53rd  chapter  of  Isaiah  or  the 
31st  chapter  of  Jeremiah.  Sometimes  he  got  them 
to  read  the  story  of  the  Passion  Week,  which  would 
amaze  them  greatly,  since  they  had  never  heard  of 
that  dark  tragedy  in  the  history  of  their  race. 
Earnest,  simple-minded  people  he  found  many  to 
be,  and  he  learnt  to  put  himself  in  their  place  and 
consider  what  he  would  have  been  if  he  had  occupied 
their  position  and  possessed  only  the  religious 
knowledge  which  their  leaders  allowed  them  to 
acquire. 

Moses  would  finish  up  with  a  visit  to  the  syna¬ 
gogue,  which  was  a  kind  of  common  home  or  club, 
the  daily  resort  of  the  pious,  the  library  in  which 
they  read  the  sacred  books,  the  school  of  the  rabbis, 
and  often  the  shelter  of  the  sick  who  were  friendless. 
Not  infrequently  he  would  be  called  to  see  a  patient 
there. 

Safed  was  not  forgotten.  The  Doctor  and  Mr. 
Ewing  had  many  discussions  on  the  subject  of  open¬ 
ing  a  station  there,  and  finally  the  latter  drew  up 
a  scheme  on  which  they  had  agreed,  and  this  ob¬ 
taining  the  sanction  of  the  Committee,  work  was 
begun  on  an  organized  basis.  The  outlook  seemed 


A  FIERCE  CAMPAIGN 


123 


peculiarly  hopeless.  Opposition  to  Christianity 
was  exceedingly  violent  at  this  time  owing  to  the 
inflow  of  Russian  refugees,  whose  stories  of  suffering 
and  misery,  endured  at  the  hands  of  the  Christians, 
roused  the  strong  resentment  of  their  compatriots. 
Nevertheless  the  missionaries  went  forward  in  faith. 
Property  was  bought  along  a  level  plot  which  had 
once  formed  the  moat  of  the  Crusaders’  castle,  and 
here  were  established  the  mission  house  and  dis¬ 
pensary.  Miss  Fenton,  whose  health  had  been 
affected  by  the  insanitary  conditions  in  Tiberias, 
made  Safed  her  headquarters  for  a  time,  and  laid 
the  foundations  of  a  girls’  school  which  promised, 
if  unmolested,  to  be  one  of  the  most  influential 
agencies  at  work  in  Galilee.  To  this  institution 
came,  as  head  teacher,  Amina  Faris,  a  native  of  the 
Lebanon,  who  had  been  educated  in  a  German 
school  at  Reyrout,  and  could  talk  German  well. 
Crowds  of  eager  scholars  flocked  to  the  school, 
attracted  mainly  by  the  prospect  of  learning  English. 

When  Mr.  Christie  arrived  to  take  charge  of  the 
educational  and  evangelistic  work,  he  opened  a  boys’ 
school  and  a  night  school,  and  added  French  and 
Turkish  to  attract  the  Moslems.  Such  activities 
alarmed  the  Jews,  as  an  article  in  a  local  newspaper 
showed  : 

“  Our  young  men  are  gathered  together,  to  the  number 
of  tens,  to  the  mission  house,  to  learn  English.  Behold,  we  see 
that  the  days  are  coming  when  a  new  generation  shall  arise, 
when  the  sons  and  daughters  of  our  town  shall  be  in  the  hands 
of  the  Mission.  From  her  cup  shall  our  descendants  drink,  of 
her  bread  they  shall  eat,  and  with  her  clothing  shall  they  cover 
themselves,  and  on  her  law  shall  they  meditate.  Now  judge 
ye  of  our  humiliation,  of  our  shame  and  our  disgrace.  And  ye 


124 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

shepherds  of  our  flock,  set  your  hearts  to  these  words.  Assemble 
yourselves  together,  take  counsel  not  with  kherems  and  curses, 

/d  1  uWltr,Veal  meanS  °f  rePairing  this  evil.  Ask  the  Baron 
(Rothschild)  that  he  shall  make  his  boys’  school  into  an  in- 

ustrial  school.  Strengthen  yourselves  to  ask  him,  seek  it  of 
him  while  yet  there  is  time.  Do  not  allow  men  of  good  char¬ 
acter  to  apply  to  you  the  words  of  our  great  prophet—  Woe  to 
tae  sheep  of  Israel  !  the  sheep  you  pasture  not,  the  sheep  which 
has  gone  astray  you  have  not  turned  back,  the  lost  ones  you 
have  not  sought  ;  they  are  scattered  without  a  shepherd,  and 
they  are  become  food  to  every  beast  of  the  field.’  ” 

Recovering  from  its  first  surprise  at  these 
developments,  official  Safed  shook  off  its  sloth  and 
started  a  campaign  which  turned  out  to  be  the 
fiercest  which  the  missionaries  had  yet  encountered. 
All  the  ultra-conservative  elements  in  Safed 
Jewish,  Moslem,  and  Christian,  rose  in  their 
strength  and,  aided  and  abetted  by  the  Govern¬ 
ment,  smote  the  work  with  all  the  weapons  at  their 
disposal.  The  parents  were  threatened  with  the 
terrors  of  spiritual  retribution,  and  the  children 
with  physical  punishment,  the  khalukah  doles  were 
withheld,  nuns  went  from  house  to  house  dissemina¬ 
ting  false  reports  about  the  Mission— telling  the 
sic  M  foi  instance,  that  their  illness  was  due  to  the 
girls  and  boys  being  under  the  influence  of  Pro¬ 
testants  ;  permission  was  given  to  the  ill-disposed 
to  throw  stones  at  the  schoolhouses  and  the 
teachers— “  the  personal  insolence  the  teacher  of 
tie  girls  school  has  had  to  endure,”  wrote  Mr. 
Christie,  baffles  description.”  For  a  time  the 
schools  were  practically  deserted,  and  the  Hebrew 
journals  of  the  country  contained  glowing  accounts 
o.  the  success  of  the  campaign.  But  the  longing 


SECURING  A  FIRMAN 


125 


for  knowledge  is  not  so  easily  stifled,  and  gradually, 
as  the  storm  subsided,  the  pupils  ventured  back. 
Many  of  the  girls  reached  their  school  before 
dawn  and  remained  until  after  sunset,  when  they 
could  slip  unobserved  away. 


XIII.  SECURING  A  FIRMAN 

1890-91 

“  I  wonder,”  wrote  the  Doctor,  “  what  medical 
men  at  home  would  think  if  they  knew  that  we 
excise  the  elbow  of  a  man  and  treat  the  case  as  an 
outdoor  patient  ?  This,  of  course,  is  the  result  of 
absolute  necessity.”  Serious  operative  cases  were 
coming  to  the  dispensary  in  increasing  numbers, 
and  he  began  to  allow  patients  to  lie  on  the  floor 
of  the  waiting-room  in  order  to  have  them  under 
constant  supervision. 

One  day  a  pale  and  emaciated  Moslem  woman 
with  a  diseased  bone  in  her  leg  was  carried  in  from 
a  distant  village.  So  offensive  was  the  odour  from 
the  wound — it  had  been  cauterized  with  red-hot 
irons,  and  was  gangrenous — that  the  other  patients 
protested,  and  put  her  out  of  the  waiting-room. 
The  Doctor  entertained  very  little  hope  of  her 
recovery,  but  promised  to  see  her  every  day  and 
do  what  he  could  if  she  managed  to  secure  a  room 
in  the  town.  She  sought  in  vain  ;  no  one  would 
receive  her  on  account  of  the  smell  from  the  wound, 
and  she  was  supposed  to  be  dying.  Even  the 


126 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


khans  and  stables  would  give  her  no  shelter. 
Carried  on  the  back  of  her  mother  she  returned 
exhausted  to  the  dispensary,  and  begged  to  be 
allowed  to  lie  under  the  archway  and  die  in  peace. 
This  was  too  much  for  the  Doctor.  A  word  to 
Moses,  who  was  standing  by,  all  sympathy,  sent 
him  ofi  to  the  chief  rabbi,  who  was  then  a  patient, 
and  he  returned  with  the  tidings  that  a  little  room 
and  kitchen  of  his  own  could  be  rented  for  the 
purpose.  Here  an  operation  was  performed,  the 
diseased  bone  was  removed,  grafts  of  skin  were 
placed  over  the  wound,  and  the  woman  returned 
to  her  home  singing  the  praises  of  the  wonderful 
doctor  who  had  brought  her  back  to  life.  Her 
husband  received  her  as  one  from  the  dead. 

I  he  room  in  which  she  had  lain  was  about 
1 6  feet  square,  and  the  Doctor  divided  it  into  three 
compartments,  and  began  his  hospital — a  Jewish 
woman,  who  spoke  Arabic  and  the  Yiddish  jargon, 
acting  as  nurse,  cook,  and  cleaner.  As  many  as 
eight  patients  would  occupy  it  at  a  time,  Jew, 
Moslem,  and  Christian  all  associating  together 
and  forgetting  for  the  nonce  their  differences  of 
thought  and  custom.  They  brought  their  own 

belongings,  and,  when  cured,  took  up  their  beds  and 
walked. 

in  that  little  native  house  miracles  of  healing 
were  effected.  Three  of  the  first  patients  were 
blind  and  they  left  with  their  sight  restored.  One 
of  tnem,  a  bedouin  from  the  East,  kissed  the  hand 
of  tne  Doctor  and  said  he  would  carry  a  white 
flag  through  the  country,  and  tell  every  one  what 
God  had  done  for  him  at  Tiberias.  The  incident 


SECURING  A  FIRMAN 


127 


was  so  common  that  the  Doctor  forgot  it,  but  not 
long  afterwards  came  a  lamb  from  the  desert  as  a 
gift  from  the  man  who  had  been  blind  and  could 
now  see.  Another  patient  was  a  lame  boy  who 
came  on  crutches  and  was  made  to  walk. 

This  embryo  hospital  the  Doctor  supported 
entirely  out  of  the  fees  paid  by  the  patients  and  by 
contributions  from  friends,  but  it  was  obvious  that 
it  was  only  a  makeshift  and  would  not  long  meet 
the  needs  of  the  situation.  The  country  was 
beginning  to  shake  off  its  age-long  stupor.  Jews 
were  buying  land  and  establishing  colonies.  An 
hotel  had  been  opened  in  Tiberias,  and  visitors 
were  passing  through  in  greater  numbers  ;  the  site 
of  Capernaum  had  been  bought  by  the  Franciscans, 
and  Bethsaida  by  a  German  Roman  Catholic 
society  ;  railways  were  being  constructed,  and  one 
was  projected  from  the  coast  to  the  Lake. 

Conscious  of  this  stirring  of  the  dry  bones,  the 
Doctor  was  impatient  to  possess  a  large  and  well- 
equipped  hospital  to  meet  the  requirements  that 
would  arise.  He  realized  the  difficulties  in  the 
way.  At  this  time  the  Turkish  authorities  were 
making  one  of  their  spasmodic  efforts  to  restrain 
the  activities  of  the  missionaries,  and  were  putting 
into  operation  the  law  which  required  that  a  firman 
should  be  obtained  from  the  Sublime  Porte  at 
Constantinople  before  school  or  church  or  hospital 
could  be  erected.  An  order  was  issued  that  all 
schools  except  those  carried  on  under  the  authority 
of  a  firman  were  to  be  closed,  but  through  the 
action  of  the  British  Embassy  this  was  suspended 
for  the  time  being. 


128 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


It  was  not  an  opportune  moment  for  obtaining 
concessions,  but  the  Doctor  was  never  afraid  of 
obstacles.  He  went  to  the  Governor  of  the  town 
and  asked  his  advice  as  to  how  he  should  proceed 
in  the  matter.  Too  timorous  to  move  himself,  that 
official  urged  the  Doctor  to  negotiate  directly  with 
Constantinople.  “  Which  means,  ”  remarked  the 
Doctor  whimsically,  “  that  I  have  to  beard  the  lion 
in  his  den.  Well,  I  will  do  it.” 

He  took  the  postponed  half  of  his  furlough 
that  summer  (1890),  was  married  in  June,  in  Anders- 
ton  Free  Church,  Glasgow,  to  Miss  Huber,  and 
returned  by  Constantinople.  The  head  of  the 
Free  Church  Jewish  Mission  there  was  Dr.  Han- 
nington,  a  man  of  high  character  who  was  on  the 
best  of  terms  with  the  British  and  Turkish  officials. 
One  of  the  chief  men  in  the  Embassy  was  Mr. — 
afterwards  Sir— Adam  S.  J.  Block,  who  had  formerly 
been  vice-consul  at  Beyrout,  and,  through  him, 
the  Doctor  obtained  the  promise  of  an  introduction 
to  Sir  William  White,  the  Ambassador.  “  First,” 
said  Mr.  Block,  “  write  out  your  application  say¬ 
ing  you  have  got  the  land,  have  been  working  so 
long,  are  going  to  erect  a  perfectly  equipped 
hospital,  and  so  on.”  This  the  Doctor  did,  being 
careful  to  state  that  the  hospital  would  not  be 
erected  near  a  Moslem  mosque  or  graves,  and  would 
not  overlook  any  spot  frequented  by  Moslem 
women,  and  making  the  application,  according 
to  Turkish  law,  on  behalf  of  “  Mr.  Chairman 
of  the  Jewish  Mission  of  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland.” 

When  he  called  again  Mr.  Block  said,  “  Now 


SECURING  A  FIRMAN 


129 


we’ll  send  up  your  card  and  your  introduction  and 
see  what  happens.” 

The  Ambassador  at  once  sent  for  the  Doctor. 

“  Get  him  interested,”  said  Mr.  Block.  “  Tell 
him  all  about  the  Jews  and  Palestine  and  every¬ 
thing.  He  can  do  much  if  you  get  him  on  the  right 
side.” 

“  Well,  sir,”  was  the  Ambassador’s  greeting. 
“  What  is  it  ?  What  do  you  want  ?  ” 

The  Doctor  made  the  utmost  of  his  opportunity, 
and  succeeded  in  arousing  his  attention  and  interest. 
He  was  dismissed  at  last  with  “  All  right  !  Send 
up  Block.” 

When  Mr.  Block  returned  it  was  with  a  gratified 
smile.  “  You  seem  to  have  managed  it  ;  come 
back  to-morrow.” 

The  words  had  a  painfully  familiar  sound  to 
the  Doctor,  but  he  reflected  that  he  was  dealing 
with  British  officials  who  kept  their  word.  On 
the  morrow  he  was  told  that  everything  was  satis¬ 
factory,  and  there  was  nothing  for  him  to  do  but  to 
get  home. 

After  obtaining  the  Turkish  diploma  of  Doctor 
of  Medicine,  and  visiting  Vienna  and  the  mission 
station  at  Budapest,  he  reached  Tiberias,  half  hoping 
to  find  the  firman  awaiting  him,  but  nothing  had 
been  heard  of  it.  Knowing  how  matters  go  to 
sleep  in  Turkey  if  vigorous  action  is  not  main¬ 
tained,  he  wrote  once  a  week  to  Dr.  Hannington 
urging  him  to  keep  at  the  Embassy.  By  and  by 
the  local  Governor — another  new  man,  who  was  a 
patient,  and  friendly  with  the  Doctor — intimated 
that  the  application  had  come  through  for  com- 
9 


130 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


ment  and  he  would  see  that  a  favourable  reply  was 
sent.  Several  influential  natives  also  made  re¬ 
presentations  in  his  favour  to  Constantinople,  but 
the  weeks  passed,  and  he  was  sometimes  in  despair. 

The  delay  was,  in  reality,  ministering  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  Mission.  As  planned,  the 
hospital  was  to  be  erected  on  the  ground  which 
the  Doctor  had  first  acquired  ;  the  site  was  the 
best  possible  then,  but  a  large  sum  had  to  be  ear¬ 
marked  for  raising  the  foundation  to  the  level  of 
the  roadway.  There  was  another  piece  adjoining 
he  clerical  missionary’s  house  on  which  the 
Doctor  had  long  cast  a  longing  eye  ;  it  was  lower 
and  would  provide  an  ideal  situation  for  the 
hospital,  while  the  cost  would  be  less  as  the  founda¬ 
tion  surface  was  of  rock,  and  a  quarry  could  be 
opened  within  the  area  purchased.  But  there  was 
no  hope  of  securing  it  as  it  was  public  ground  and 
used  by  travellers  as  a  camping-place. 

Amongst  the  visitors  to  Tiberias  was  a  Turkish 
military  official,  the  agent  for  the  Sultan’s  private 
property  in  the  district.  He  came  to  the  Mission, 
was  agreeably  surprised  to  see  the  new  dwelling- 
house,  so  spacious  and  clean  and  cool.  “  I  should 
like  to  build  one  like  that,”  he  said,  “  and  live  in 
Tiberias.  I  shall  buy  this  place  next  to  yours.” 
He  had  but  to  mention  his  wish  for  the  authorities 
to  hasten  to  gratify  it  ;  the  ground  was  transferred 
to  him  for  a  nominal  sum  and  with  the  best  title- 
deeds.  Becoming  a  patient  of  the  Doctor,  he  grew 
friendly  to  the  Mission.  For  some  obscure  reason, 
however,  he  relinquished  the  idea  of  living  in  the 
town,  and  offered  the  ground  to  the  Doctor  for 


THE  FIRES  OF  PERSECUTION 


131 


one  hundred  Turkish  pounds.  It  seemed  a  miracle  ! 
The  Doctor  was  not  in  possession  of  so  much 
money,  and  had  to  hunt  round  to  collect  the  amount, 
and  the  title-deeds  were  actually  handed  to  him 
before  the  sum  was  paid  over.  This  was  in  1891, 
and  he  lost  no  time  in  communicating  the  fact  to 
the  Committee.  The  plans  for  the  hospital — 
which  were  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Campbell  Douglas 
of  Glasgow  as  a  gift  to  the  Mission — were  altered, 
and  the  necessary  changes  were  effected  in  the 
application  for  the  firman. 

At  last  came  a  welcome  note  from  the  town 
officials  that  the  firman  had  arrived  ;  with  all  due 
reverence — for  the  Sultan’s  signature  is  sacred  in 
the  eyes  of  his  subjects — they  passed  over  the 
document,  and  the  Doctor  was  justifiably  proud 
that  it  had  not  cost  him  a  piastre  in  bakhshish. 
In  virtue  of  its  possession  he  was  able  to  import 
goods  for  the  hospital  work  free  of  duty. 


XIV.  THE  FIRES  OF  PERSECUTION 

1891-92 

So  far  the  resistance  to  the  activities  of  the  Mission 
had  been  mainly  passive  with  an  occasional  out¬ 
burst  from  the  official  and  more  orthodox  sections 
of  the  various  communities.  The  missionaries 
hardly  dared  to  think  what  would  happen  when  one 
of  the  numerous  inquirers  made  open  profession  of 
conversion  to  Christianity.  On  the  whole,  neither 


132 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


jews  nor  Moslems  cared  much  what  views  their 
young  people  held  so  long  as  they  kept  within  the 
pale  of  their  own  faiths.  But  it  was  certain  that 
when  they  evinced  an  inclination  towards  the 
religion  of  the  Christians  the  forces  of  persecution 
would  be  unleashed.  Already  reports  were  coming 
in  of  secret  floggings  and  stonings,  and  by  and  by 
incidents  occurred  which  were  ominous  of  what  was 
in  store  for  converts. 

In  the  Safed  day  school  the  Moslem  boys 
proved  quick  and  apt  pupils.  One,  the  only  son 
of  poor  parents,  a  half-starved  lad  of  sixteen,  was 
particularly  good  at  his  lessons  and  was  a  diligent 
student  of  the  Bible.  The  Moslem  officials,  hearing 
of  this,  took  him  forcibly  from  the  school  and  im¬ 
prisoned  his  father.  The  boy,  with  a  courage  beyond 
his  years,  refused  to  be  intimidated,  and  returned  to 
the  school.  On  Sunday  he  openly  carried  his 
Bible  and  hymn-book  to  the  Sunday  school,  and 
in  the  sacred  month  of  Ramadan  he  refused  to 
fast. 

Action  against  the  school  was  taken  by  the 
officials,  who  objected  even  to  the  teaching  of 
geography  because  the  text-books  made  out  that 
the  entire  world  did  not  belong  to  the  Sultan.  They 
raised  a  false  charge  against  the  native  teacher 
who  was  giving  excellent  service  to  the  Mission. 
Two  Moslems  bore  evidence  against  him,  and  in  a 
country  where  a  Moslem  word  is  accepted  in  pre¬ 
ference  to  that  of  ten  Christians  the  charge  was 
sustained,  and  he  was  imprisoned  and  the  school 
closed.  A  little  bakhshish  would  have  settled  the 
matter,  but  the  demands  of  the  officials  were  sternly 


THE  FIRES  OF  PERSECUTION 


133 


resisted,  and  it  was  only  through  Consular  inter¬ 
vention  that  his  release  was  ultimately  effected. 

In  the  evening  school,  Mr.  Christie  taught  young 
men  languages,  comparative  religion,  and  other 
subjects.  As  he  was  exceptionally  well  fitted  for 
the  task  of  reaching  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the 
pupils,  the  classes  were  popular.  One  young  Jew, 
a  clever  lad  and  a  good  Hebrew  scholar,  was  so 
convinced  of  the  claims  of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah 
that  he  openly  admitted  his  faith  in  Christianity. 
Immediately  the  Jewish  community  was  in  full 
cry  after  him.  They  suppressed  his  voice,  but  did 
not  shake  his  conviction.  The  commotion  was  so 
serious  that  Mr.  Christie  and  Mr.  Ewing  arranged 
to  send  him  out  of  the  country,  and  gave  him  a 
letter  to  Dr.  Torrance,  who  was  then  at  Nazareth. 
The  Doctor  managed  to  get  him  to  Jaffa,  where, 
however,  he  was  arrested  on  a  charge  of  theft.  Fie 
was  taken  back  to  Safed  and  imprisoned.  When 
released  he  succeeded  in  making  his  way  to  America. 

These  were  but  preliminary  skirmishes  :  the 
next  case  was  of  a  more  serious  character.  The 
scene  was  Tiberias.  One  of  the  young  men  who 
frequented  Mr.  Ewing’s  house  on  the  Jewish 
Sabbath  was  Ephraim,  the  head  teacher  in  a 
rabbinical  school.  He  was  foremost  in  the  con¬ 
troversial  discussions  which  took  place,  was  ex¬ 
ceedingly  bitter  in  spirit,  and  was  regarded  as  the 
champion  of  the  orthodox  in  their  opposition  to 
the  Christian  faith.  Now  and  again  his  wife  and 
children  came  under  the  healing  ministry  of  Dr. 
Torrance,  and  when  he  himself  fell  ill  he  was 
treated  with  the  kindness  and  care  which  took  no 


134 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

cognizance  of  religious  views.  Being  of  a  thoughtful 
and  inquiring  nature  he  sought  to  probe  the  motive 
underlying  so  selfless  a  service,  and  he  and  the 
Doctor  had  many  talks.  He  began  to  read  the 
New  Testament  in  Hebrew,  and  was  profoundly 
moved  by  the  personality  and  teaching  of  the 

Man  of  Galilee.  The  Doctor  passed  him  on  to 
Mr.  Ewing. 

The  latter  tells  how  one  evening  at  sunset 
Ephraim  walked  into  his  study  and,  taking  off  his 
tarbush,  or  fez,  an  act  of  unusual  courtesy,  said, 
“l  am  minded  to  be  a  Christian.”  With  deep 
feeling  he  described  the  struggle  that  had  been 
going  on  within  him  ;  between  a  growing  con¬ 
viction  of  the  incomplete  nature  of  Judaism  and  a 
realization  of  the  truth  of  Christianity  ;  between  a 
longing  to  surrender  himself  to  Christ  and  his 
loyalty  to  the  ancient  faith  of  his  race.  Tenderly 
and  wisely  Mr.  Ewing  dealt  with  him,  and  it  was 
arranged  that  he  should  undergo  a  course  of 
mstiuction  at  a  quiet  hour  of  the  evening. 

1  lie  regular  visits  to  the  missionary’s  study 
aroused  suspicion,  and  a  watch  was  set  on  his 
movements.  He  was  about  to  come  to  the  deciding 
point  when  he  was  charged  by  the  rabbis  with 
apostasy.  Not  denying  his  purpose,  he  was  sus¬ 
pended  from  his  position  as  schoolmaster  and 
subjected  to  a  pitiless  storm  of  persecution.  His 
resolution  remained  unshaken.  Then  his  wife  and 
children  pled  with  him,  and  outwardly  he  took 
his  place  again  among  his  people,  but  in  his  heart 
he  never  changed.  When  the  Jewish  feasts  were 
due  he  started  off  for  Nazareth,  but  the  rabbis, 


THE  FIRES  OF  PERSECUTION  135 

shrewdly  suspecting  that  it  was  a  plan  to  avoid 
taking  part  in  the  ceremonies,  raised  a  hostile 
crowd,  which  followed  him  and  forced  him  to 
return  to  the  town. 

Then  he  disappeared  from  the  knowledge  of 
the  missionaries.  Afterwards  it  became  known 
that  a  false  accusation  of  theft  had  been  brought 
against  him,  and  that  he  had  been  confined  in  a 
filthy  cell  and  suffered  unspeakable  degradation. 
His  resolution  and  his  spirit  remaining  unbroken, 
he  was  flogged  and  starved,  a  punishment  which 
injured  his  health  for  life.  Still  he  was  true  to 
his  convictions.  Condemned  as  a  traitor  and 
repudiated  by  his  wife  and  family,  he  was  secretly 
removed  from  the  town  to  a  Jewish  colony  at  the 
Waters  of  Merom  (Lake  Huleh),  and  his  name 
was  blotted  out  of  the  remembrance  of  his  friends 
and  companions. 

“  Many  months  later,”  writes  Mr.  Ewing,  “  one 
of  the  missionaries  riding  in  the  Upper  Jordan 
valley  saw  a  forlorn  figure  bending  to  his  task  in 
the  field,  under  a  hot  sun,  and  was  surprised  on 
nearer  approach  to  find  it  none  other  than  Ephraim. 
He  was  greatly  changed.  The  hardships  he  had 
endured  had  left  their  marks  upon  his  frame,  and 
the  lines  had  deepened  on  his  weather-beaten 
features  ;  but  there  was  a  light  of  eager  welcome 
in  his  eyes.  In  answer  to  questions  he  told  briefly 
of  his  experiences.  But  these  things  had  not 
moved  him.  Nothing  daunted,  he  held  on  his  way. 
Return  to  Tiberias  was  then  impossible.  For  self- 
support  he  willingly  endured  the  weariness  of  un¬ 
wonted  toil  in  the  service  of  the  stranger,  until 


136 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

it  should  please  God  to  make  his  duty  plain.  He 
stood  among  the  furrows  waving  a  genial  fare¬ 
well  to  his  departing  friend  ;  then,  heartened  by 
the  interview,  he  bent  afresh  to  his  labour.’ : ’ 

Not  long  afterwards  Ephraim  turned  up  at 
Nazareth,  the  light  of  a  great  purpose  in  his  eyes, 
and  was  there  baptized  by  the  missionaries.  A  new 
peace  and  dignity  of  soul  came  to  him.  Finding 
his  way  to  Jerusalem,  he  accepted  and  carried  on 
humble  but  useful  work  in  connection  with  a 
Bible  Depot,  and  there  he  lived  his  days,  standing 
every  test  and  enduring  with  steadfast  courage  the 
trials  and  difficulties  of  his  lot. 

It  was  the  first  real  shock  of  the  opposing 
forces.  Christianity,  seemingly  so  slight  and  in¬ 
tangible  a  power,  had  won  against  the  organized 
might  of  Judaism. 

The  suffering  had  not  all  been  on  the  side  of  the 
convert.  “  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country  and  from 
thy  kindred  and  from  thy  father’s  house”  was  a 
terrible  sentence,  but  it  was  also  hard  for  the  mis¬ 
sionaries  to  witness  the  severing  of  the  strong  and 
tender  ties  of  family  affection.  Yet  they  could 
not  but  do  what  they  did.  They  were  obeying 
tire  command  of  Christ,  and  they  remembered  that 
He  had  said,  “  Think  not  that  I  have  come  to  send 
peace  on  earth.  I  have  come  not  to  send  peace 
but  a  sword  :  for  I  have  come  to  set  a  man  at 
variance  against  his  father  and  the  daughter  against 
her  mother  and  the  daughter-in-law  against  her 
mother-in-law,  and  a  man’s  foes  shall  be  they  of  his 
own  household.”  They  were  witnessing  His  teach¬ 
ing  working  out  amidst  the  harsh  realities  of  life. 


THE  FIRST  BAPTISM 


137 


It  was  the  case  of  Ephraim  that  induced  Dr. 
Torrance  to  bring  the  matter  of  an  industrial 
institution  formally  before  the  Jewish  Mission 
Committee.  He  pointed  out  that  a  Jew  became  an 
outcast  the  moment  he  moved  towards  Christianity. 
Were  the  missionaries  to  be  responsible  for  turn¬ 
ing  home-loving,  affectionate  men  into  “  wandering 
Jews  ”  when  there  was  a  means  by  which  they  could 
be  retained  in  the  district  to  be  a  witness  and  a 
strength  to  the  Christian  faith  ?  In  an  institution 
they  would  be  taught  to  earn  their  bread  and  be 
independent  of  the  rabbis  and  the  khalukah. 

The  Committee  sympathized  with  the  pro¬ 
posal,  but  the  general  feeling  was  that  an  enterprise 
of  the  kind  could  not  rightly  be  a  charge  on  their 
funds.  The  decision  was  a  disappointment  to 
the  Doctor  and  the  staff,  for  they  knew  of  several 
intelligent  Jews  who  were  ready  to  make  open 
profession  but  were  deterred  by  fear  of  the  boycott 
to  which  they  would  be  subjected  and  the  im¬ 
possibility  of  making  good  their  economic  position 
without  some  outside  help. 


XV.  THE  FIRST  BAPTISM 

1892-96 

The  first  deaths  on  a  pioneer  mission  station  have 
a  peculiar  touch  of  pathos  ;  they  hallow  the  ground 
and,  to  use  the  old  Scottish  word,  they  thirl  the 
missionaries  and  the  Church  to  the  enterprise. 
Twin  sons  were  born  to  Dr.  Torrance  ;  one  died 


138 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


after  nine  months  and  was  laid  in  a  corner  of  the 
garden  next  the  Lake,  and  the  second  a  month 
later.  The  infant  daughter  of  Mr.  Ewing  also 
passed  away,  and  was  followed  by  a  daughter  of  the 
native  schoolmaster.  The  shadow  fell  more  deeply 
still  when  Mrs.  Ewing  succumbed.  A  child  of  Mr. 
Christie  then  died  in  Safed,  and  as  the  Mission 
possessed  no  land  there,  and  not  even  so  much 
could  be  obtained  as  to  bury  the  little  body,  it  was 
conveyed  to  Tiberias  and  laid  beside  the  others  on 
the  lakeside. 

While  the  Doctor  was  mourning  his  loss  a 
notable  company  of  visitors  gathered  at  the  station, 
one  of  the  number  being  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wells,  his 
former  travelling  companion,  now  Convener  of  the 
Jewish  Mission  Committee.  A  communion  service 
was  held,  eight  ministers — five  of  the  Free  Church, 
two  Episcopalians,  and  one  United  Presbyterian — 
taking  part.  Of  the  twenty-seven  communicants, 
seven  were  Palestinians  —  three  men  and  four 
women.  At  the  evening  Arabic  service  six  of  the 
ministers  spoke,  through  an  interpreter,  to  the  little 
congregation.  Deputations  of  the  chief  men  of 
the  town,  magistrates,  rabbis,  and  priests,  came  to 
express  their  thanks  to  the  Church  in  Scotland  for 
sending  out  Dr.  Torrance  and  Mr.  Ewing,  and  to 
point  out  that  the  Doctor  was  doing  the  work  of 
two  men.  The  visitors,  however,  saw  this  for 
themselves.  After  travelling  in  trans-Jordania 
with  Air.  Ewing,  Dr.  Wells  returned  to  the  town  to 
find  three  patients  who  had  come  from  one  of  the 
villages  they  had  visited — a  distance  of  50  miles — 
for  treatment. 


THE  FIRST  BAPTISM 


139 


Mr.  Ewing  retired  from  the  field  in  1893  and 
was  missed  by  all  classes,  and  not  least  by  Dr. 
Torrance.1 

Another  distinguished  student  of  Glasgow 
College,  the  Rev.  John  Soutar,  M.A.,  offered  to 
take  his  place,  and  was  appointed.  As  eager  to 
begin  as  Mr.  Ewing,  he  also  used  an  interpreter, 
but  found  it  a  sorry  business  ;  it  was  a  “  caged 
eagle  ”  that  he  felt  like.  Elaving  heard  so  much 
of  the  unwillingness  of  the  Jews  to  listen  to 
Christian  teaching,  he  was  surprised  to  find  those 
at  Tiberias  ready  not  only  to  hear  him  but  to 
argue  points  of  mutual  interest. 

In  the  midst  of  these  changes  the  Doctor  went 
on  with  his  work.  As  many  as  a  hundred  patients 
per  day  continued  to  visit  the  dispensary.  It  was 
a  strain  on  his  patience  and  strength,  and  he  had 
to  struggle  against  the  temptation  to  be  satisfied 
with  superficial  diagnoses  and  wholesale  treatment. 
The  picture  of  him  toiling  in  his  primitive  hospital 
touched  sympathetic  hearts  in  Scotland,  and  dona¬ 
tions  came  out  which  enabled  him  to  take  a  further 
step  ;  he  hired  an  old  hotel  in  the  town,  and  fitted 
it  up  with  wards  for  men  and  women,  and  an 
operating  room,  and  here  he  housed  the  more 
urgent  surgical  cases.  The  rooms  were  fairly 
serviceable  so  long  as  the  sun  shone,  but  during  the 
rains  each  became  a  shower  bath,  and  it  was  im¬ 
possible  to  keep  the  patients  dry.  Many  a  long 

1  He  was  not  lost  to  the  cause,  for  after  settling  in  Scotland  he 
devoted  his  time  to  the  Jewish  work  of  the  Church,  was  Convener  of 
the  Jewish  Mission  Committee  for  a  term,  manifested  his  scholarship  in 
a  number  of  important  works,  and  was  honoured  with  the  degree  of 
D.D.  from  Glasgow7  University. 


140 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


and  anxious  hour  he  passed  in  these  cramped 
wards,  performing  delicate  operations,  watching 
critical  cases,  and  exercising  the  most  vigilant  care 
in  order  to  ensure  success.  It  was  remarkable 
that  with  so  large  a  number  of  operations  he  had 
never  any  mishap. 

Towards  the  end  of  1893  he  was  glad  to  welcome 
Dr.  George  Wilson,  a  nephew  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Wilson  of  the  Barclay  Church,  Edinburgh,  who  had 
volunteered  to  help  him  for  a  year  on  the  same 
salary  as  a  native  assistant.  For  a  time,  until  Dr. 
Wilson  took  charge  of  Safed,  the  position  was  easier. 

Educational  work  generally  was  entering  on  a 
new  phase.  Stimulated  mainly  by  the  example  of 
the  Mission,  Jews  and  Moslems  started  institutions 
of  their  own,  and  compelled  their  children  to  attend 
them,  with  the  result  that  the  number  of  Mission 
pupils  sensibly  decreased.  The  Catholics  began  to 
give  grants  of  money  to  the  parents  and  clothing  to 
the  scholars.  Teachers  in  the  Mission  schools 
never  knew  what  to  expect.  Often  not  a  single 
pupil  would  turn  up.  Then  one  by  one  the  boys 
and  girls  would  trickle  back,  and  parents,  realizing 
the  superior  character  of  the  Mission  teaching  and 
training,  would  endeavour  to  excuse  or  hide  their 
truancy  from  the  ecclesiastical  authorities. 

The  physical  environment  of  Safed  seemed 
more  favourable  to  intellectual  development  than 
that  of  Tiberias.  In  its  spring-like  climate  the 
mind  was  more  alert  and  energetic,  and  the  young 
people,  both  Moslems  and  Jews,  were  brighter 
and  more  intelligent  than  those  in  the  tropical 
valley  of  the  Jordan,  although  the  isolation  of  the 


THE  FIRST  BAPTISM 


141 


town  told  heavily  against  enlightenment.  Among 
the  adult  population  a  certain  number  were  always 
on  the  side  of  tolerance  and  progress.  Many  of  the 
Jews  chafed  against  rabbinical  rule,  and  at  this  time 
were  leading  an  informal  movement  for  a  less  rigid 
religious  and  social  code. 

It  was  Mr.  Christie’s  fortune  to  take  advantage 
of  this  spirit  and  to  be  the  inspirer  of  the  young  men 
who  came  to  his  evening  class.  He  continued  to 
lead  many  to  the  verge  of  belief,  though  the  majority 
drew  back  “  for  fear  of  the  Jews.”  One  of  the 
number  was  James  Cohen.  Pie  was  born  in  1873 
in  Russia,  where  his  early  years  were  darkened  by 
persecution  and  suffering.  At  the  age  of  eleven  he 
was  sent  to  a  rabbinical  school,  and,  two  years  later, 
emigrated  with  his  father  to  Safed,  where  he  con¬ 
tinued  his  studies  until  1890,  when  he  entered  Baron 
Rothschild’s  school  and  acquired  a  knowledge  of 
French.  Then  he  was  selected  to  work  as  an  appren¬ 
tice  gardener  in  a  Rothschild  colony,  at  the  Waters 
of  Merom.  While  there  he  paid  occasional  visits 
to  Safed,  attended  the  evening  classes,  and  came 
under  the  influence  of  Mr.  Christie  and  Mr.  Soutar, 
who  presented  him  with  a  copy  of  the  New  Testa¬ 
ment  in  Hebrew.  He  read  it  through,  and  was 
angry  with  himself  for  having  done  so,  as  it  unsettled 
his  belief,  hitherto  unshaken,  in  the  traditional 
law.  In  order  to  be  able  to  refute  its  teaching  he 
studied  it  again  thoroughly,  but  the  result  was  still 
more  disastrous  to  his  own  faith.  He  became  con¬ 
vinced  of  the  truth,  believed  in  Christ,  and  accepted 
Him  whom  he  had  previously  despised  and  hated. 

The  change  which  the  event  made  in  his  char- 


142 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


acter  and  life  was  so  marked  that  suspicion  was 
aroused  ;  he  was  interrogated  by  the  rabbis,  and  his 
replies  were  so  compromising  that  he  was  dismissed 
from  his  post.  Some  time  afterwards  he  sought  an 
interview  with  Mr.  Soutar,  and  after  a  long  talk, 
which  lasted  late  into  the  night,  he  confessed  his  con¬ 
version  and  asked  for  baptism.  The  missionaries, 
always  reluctant  to  grant  this  without  prolonged 
probation,  kept  him  for  nearly  a  year  under  instruc¬ 
tion  and  thoroughly  tested  his  sincerity.  On  New 
Year’s  Day  1895  he  made  an  earnest  appeal  to  be 
received,  and  on  10th  February  was  baptized  by 
Mr.  Soutar  at  Tiberias. 

The  event  caused  a  profound  impression  in 
Jewry.  “  In  the  bygone  week,”  said  a  local 
Hebrew  newspaper,  “  there  apostatized  a  young 
man  from  among  the  sons  of  our  city,  and  there 
is  no  one  that  inquireth  or  seeketh  after  him.” 
Secretly  many  of  his  companions  admired  his  act 
of  courage  and  sacrifice,  and  would  have  liked  to 
have  followed  his  example,  but  flinched  from  the 
ordeal  of  forsaking  friends  and  running  the  gauntlet 
of  persecution. 

Cohen  suffered  much  at  the  hands  of  the  Jews. 
After  being  given  temporary  employment  by  the 
Mission,  he  was  sent  to  Aleppo,  and  on  his  return 
in  1896  took  charge  of  the  Bible  Depot  and  acted 
as  colporteur,  and,  in  addition  to  his  Hebrew, 
Yiddish,  and  French,  acquired  a  more  fluent 
use  of  English  and  Arabic.  He  was  one  of  the 
nnest  types  of  Hebrew-Christians,  a  man  of  pure 
and  simple  character  and  childlike  faith,  unselfish, 
good-tempered,  and  courageous.  Neither  aggressive 


THE  FIRST  BAPTISM 


143 


nor  argumentative,  though  as  clever  as  any  rabbi, 
he  attracted  people  by  his  gentle  persuasiveness. 
Prayer  and  love  were  the  two  forces  of  his  life. 
Money  had  no  attraction  for  him  ;  he  had  wealthy 
connections,  but  he  never  rose  above  the  most 
modest  style  of  living.  In  time  he  won  the  respect 
of  every  class  of  the  community,  and  became  a 
great  spiritual  power  in  the  district. 

As  a  result  of  this  conversion,  the  question  of  the 
economic  support  of  those  who  threw  in  their  lot 
with  the  Christians  was  again  discussed.  Every 
missionary  urged  the  establishment  of  an  industrial 
colony.  “If  we  cannot  give  a  Jew  work,”  wrote 
Mr.  Soutar,  “  in  asking  him  to  become  a  Christian 
we  are  asking  him  to  starve.”  “  It  is  not  an  easy 
problem,”  the  Doctor  said.  “  We  want  to  keep  the 
converts  in  the  Mission  district  in  order  that  their 
lives  may  influence  others,  but  we  do  not  want 
to  make  paupers  of  them.”  Mr.  Christie  pointed 
out  that  some  of  his  young  men  had  been  dismissed 
from  their  employment  for  attending  his  night 
school.  Many  had  gone  elsewhere  to  obtain  work, 
but  others  remained  and  visited  him  in  his  house 
as  often  as  they  dared.  This  secret  procedure, 
however,  he  felt  was  bad  for  themselves  and  for 
the  Mission  ;  it  involved  the  practice  of  deceit 
and  hypocrisy,  and  he  did  not  think  it  right  for 
their  connection  with  the  Mission  to  be  brought 
about  in  this  way. 

The  Jewish  Mission  Committee  were  all  sym¬ 
pathy,  and  fully  realized  the  difficulties  of  the 
situation,  but  the  conviction  still  prevailed  that  it 
did  not  come  within  the  province  of  the  Church  to 


144 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


adventure  on  such  a  business  development,  and 
it  was  suggested  that  a  company  of  laymen  might 
take  the  matter  up. 


XVI.  OPENING  OF  THE  HOSPITAL 

1894-96 

It  was  a  happy  day  for  the  Doctor  when  he  saw 
the  hospital,  which  was  to  embody  the  spirit  of  the 
Great  Healer  of  humanity,  complete  and  ready  for 
occupation.  About  the  same  time  his  own  house, 
as  large,  commodious,  and  airy  as  the  clerical 
missionary’s,  was  also  finished.  Both  develop¬ 
ments  marked  a  notable  advance  in  the  history  of 
the  station.  At  last  the  missionaries  were  ade¬ 
quately  housed  in  hygienic  surroundings,  and  at 
last  the  medical  work  would  be  carried  on  with 
something  like  comfort  alike  to  doctor  and  patients. 

The  three  massive  structures  formed  the  finest 
and  most  prominent  objects  round  the  Lake  shore. 
They  stood  almost  in  line  at  a  slight  elevation  ; 
the  first  and  lowest,  next  the  town,  was  the  hospital ; 
that  in  the  centre  was  the  Doctor’s  house  ;  and  the 
third,  close  to  the  boundary  wall,  was  the  manse 
of  the  clerical  missionary.  All  were  of  stone,  had 
flat  roofs,  front  verandas  and  balconies,  and 
marble  floors,  and  gave  the  impression  of  great 
strength  combined  with  airy  spaciousness.  The 
ground  sloped  down  to  the  shore-wall,  but  un¬ 
fortunately  the  road  leading  out  of  the  town  cut 


145 


OPENING  OF  THE  HOSPITAL 

the  lower  part  in  two,  requiring  the  construction 
of  two  walls  and  two  gates. 

The  Doctor’s  ideal  was  sixty  beds,  but  practical 
considerations  reduced  the  number  to  twenty-four 
and  six  cots,  and  it  was  a  testimony  to  the  interest 
felt  in  the  Mission  in  Scotland  that  nearly  all  these 
found  supporters  at  a  cost  of  £20  per  bed  and 
£10  per  cot  per  annum. 

A  few  desperate  cases  were  taken  in  some  weeks 
before  the  building  was  finished,  but  the  formal 
opening  took  place  on  1st  January  1894.  It  was 
a  red-letter  day  in  the  history  of  Tiberias.  The 
Doctor  invited  the  officials  and  principal  men  of 
the  town  to  the  function,  which,  he  diplomatically 
intimated,  was  held  “  under  the  shadow  of  His 
Majesty  the  Sultan.” 

Into  the  upper  balcony,  which  was  decorated 
with  olive  and  orange  branches  and  Turkish  flags, 
came  the  Governor,  a  dark-bearded  man  dressed 
in  sombre  black  and  red  fez  ;  the  kadi,  or  judge,  in 
a  long  sable  robe  and  white  turban  ;  the  mufti,  or 
religious  head  of  the  Moslems,  also  in  white  turban  ; 
the  Greek  Catholic  priest  in  black  with  high,  round 
headpiece  ;  patriarchal-looking  Jews  with  flowing 
grizzly  beards  and  side  locks  ;  and  other  guests 
in  variegated  costumes.  They  sat  facing  a  con¬ 
spicuous  object  on  the  wall,  which  looked  like  a 
framed  picture — it  was  the  firman  with  the  royal 
signature  and  seal. 

A  hymn  was  sung  in  Arabic,  and  then  Dr. 
Torrance,  speaking  with  his  usual  pointedness, 
said  : 

“  Christ  enjoined  upon  His  followers  to  go  into 

10 


146 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


all  the  world  and  heal  the  sick  and  preach  His 
gospel.  We,  as  His  followers,  and  in  obedience 
to  His  command,  have  erected  this  hospital.  I  am 
sure  you  will  all  agree  with  me  when  I  say  there  is 
but  one  God.  If,  therefore,  there  is  but  one  God, 
we  ought  all  to  be  one  people.  The  best  way  to  be 
one  people  is  to  love  each  other  and  help  one  an¬ 
other.  When  can  we  do  this  better  than  in  times 
of  sickness  ?  Those  who  are  sick  will  find  here 
love  and  sympathy  and  help  irrespective  of  race  or 
creed.  Mr.  Soutar  will  voice  our  thankfulness  to 
God  for  this  institution,  and  although  you  will  not 
understand  his  words  you  will  know  what  are  the 
feelings  he  is  expressing. ” 

The  Governor,  who  seemed  to  enjoy  his  part, 
was  presented  with  a  silver  key,  and,  walking  to 
the  door  of  the  men’s  ward,  he  unlocked  and  threw 
it  open  with  a  flourish.  Mrs.  Torrance  opened  the 
women’s  ward.  The  audience  rose,  the  Turks 
bowed  their  heads  and  raised  their  hands,  and 
the  mufti  repeated  the  official  prayer  for  the 
Sultan. 

Next  came  ornate  speeches  from  the  chief  men, 
who  praised  the  Scottish  Committee  and  Dr. 
Torrance  for  their  goodness  in  erecting  so  splendid 
a  hospital  for  the  healing  of  the  people. 

Tea,  coffee,  and  cake  were  handed  round  and 
friendly  conversations  engaged  in.  Then  an  in¬ 
spection  of  the  wards  was  made. 

There  was  not  one  who  left  without  express¬ 
ing  to  the  Doctor  his  gratitude  and  goodwill.  No 
purely  religious  function  could  have  drawn  them 
thus  together  ;  only  the  ministry  of  healing  accom- 


OPENING  OF  THE  HOSPITAL 


147 


plished  the  miracle,  providing  another  illustration 
of  the  value  of  a  medical  mission. 

All  the  beds  were  occupied  from  the  beginning  ; 
during  the  first  few  months  61  patients  were 
admitted,  35  being  Jews,  13  Moslems,  and  13 
Christians.  The  earliest  case  treated  proved  of 
some  interest.  When  the  patient,  a  Greek 
Christian  named  Yakoob,  arrived  he  stated  that 
he  came  from  a  little  village  between  Safed  and 
Nazareth.  Instantly  the  Doctor  recalled  that  about 
a  year  previously,  while  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Christie 
were  travelling  over  the  lonely  paths  in  that  region, 
they  were  attacked  and  robbed  by  the  villagers. 
Because  of  this  the  Doctor  took  extra  care  of  the 
patient,  who  was  suffering  from  an  ulcerous  leg, 
and  was  in  a  state  of  extreme  emaciation.  A 
younger  brother  who  accompanied  him  was  also 
half  starved,  undergrown,  and  weak,  and  developed 
pneumonia.  Both  recovered  and  grew  strong  and 
vigorous.  The  men  from  the  village  who  came  to 
visit  them  were  amazed  at  the  transformation,  and 
assured  the  Doctor  and  his  fellow-missionaries 
that  they  need  never  again  fear  to  travel  over  their 
hills. 

In  the  internal  organization  of  the  hospital  the 
Doctor  had  to  employ  people  differing  in  race  and 
creed.  A  separate  kitchen  and  cook  were  pro¬ 
vided  for  the  Jews,  and  another  cook  and  kitchen 
for  the  Moslems  and  Christians.  His  man-of-all- 
work  was  a  Jew  ;  the  day  nurse  was  a  Christian,  an 
orphan  girl  who  knew  Arabic  and  German  ;  the 
night  nurse  was  a  Jewess. 

The  employment  of  women  as  nurses  was  a 


148 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


revolutionary  step  in  Tiberias,  and  the  experiment 
was  considered  doubtful  by  the  townspeople.  But 
the  Doctor  secured  an  experienced  matron  from 
Jerusalem  in  the  person  of  Miss  Agnes  Donaldson, 
who  knew  Arabic  and  had  both  skill  and  tact- 
Some  unpleasantness  occurred,  but  her  good- 
humour  and  firmness  gradually  won  favour  for  the 
new  regime.  Occasionally  an  ignorant  man  would 
ask  her  pointedly  why  she  was  not  married  ;  was  it 
because  no  one  would  have  her  ? 

One  day  a  patient  who  had  been  blinded  by  a 
blow  poured  forth  a  torrent  of  foul  language,  and 
Miss  Donaldson  complained  to  the  Doctor,  who  wish¬ 
ing  to  set  an  example  to  the  whole  ward  declared 
that  he  would  not  have  such  speech  in  the  hospital, 
and  all  who  were  guilty  of  it  must  leave.  The  blind 
man  was  astonished  ;  he  was  utterly  unconscious 
of  transgressing.  “  I  drank  in  that  with  my 
mother’s  milk,”  he  said.  “  Then,”  grimly  replied 
the  Doctor,  “  you  will  go  and  drink  something 
else,”  and  he  dismissed  him  from  the  hospital. 
The  incident  caused  some  stir,  but  it  effected  a 
salutary  change,  and  a  fortnight  later  the  delinquent 
returned  penitent,  paid  a  fine,  and  begged  to  be 
taken  in  again.  “If,”  he  said,  “  I  say  anything 
disrespectful  to  the  nurses  I  give  you  leave  to 
cut  out  my  tongue  !  ”  “  Very  well,”  the  Doctor 

answered,  “  I  agree.”  No  patient  after  that  kept  a 
more  careful  guard  over  his  speech,  and  he  also 
became  the  vigilant  censor  of  the  others.  The 
nurses  received  blessings,  and  the  curses  were 
reserved  for  womenfolk  at  home. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  the  Jews  with  all 


OPENING  OF  THE  HOSPITAL  149 

their  friendliness  would  quietly  acquiesce  in  the 
progress  of  the  Mission.  Pamphlets  describing  the 
hospital  were  circulated  over  Europe,  and  appeals 
were  made  for  funds  to  erect  a  rival  institution. 
From  time  to  time  Dr.  Torrance  found  Jewish 
doctors  practising  in  the  town  ;  to  him  it  was  a 
matter  for  rejoicing  ;  he  cultivated  the  friendship 
of  those  who  came,  and  never  hesitated  to  call 
them  into  consultation.  As  a  rule  they  were 
open-minded  and  well-meaning,  and  he  had  long 
discussions  with  them  on  religious  matters.  He 
invariably  discovered  that  any  undercurrent  of 
bitterness  in  their  nature  was  due  to  the  treatment 
which  their  race  was  receiving  at  the  hands  of  the 
continental  “  Christians,”  but  he  seldom  failed  to 
make  them  realize  and  admit  the  wide  differences 
that  existed  between  the  various  types  of  organized 
Christianity.  They  never  remained  long  in  the 
town,  and  it  was  significant  that  the  number  of 
Jewish  patients  at  the  hospital  never  lessened 
because  of  their  presence. 

The  hospital  was  barely  in  working  order  when 
Mrs.  Torrance  died  in  giving  birth  to  a  daughter. 
It  was  a  severe  loss  both  to  the  Doctor  and  the 
Mission,  for  she  was  comrade  as  well  as  wife, 
shared  in  all  his  work,  and  was  a  favourite  in  the 
wards.  The  Doctor  was  left  with  a  young  son, 
Herbert,  and  this  infant  girl,  Lydia  ;  and  as  he 
had  passed  through  much  private  sorrow  he  was 
given  a  furlough  home,  Dr.  Wilson  taking  his  place 
in  the  hospital. 

While  in  Scotland  in  1895  he  did  his  utmost 
to  increase  the  interest  in  the  Mission,  and  brought 


150 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


prominently  before  the  Church  the  need  for  en¬ 
larging  its  scope.  In  a  letter  in  the  Monthly  Record 
he  described  the  situation,  pointing  out,  as 
M  Cheyne  and  Bonar  in  their  day  had  done,  that 
Palestine  was  the  heart  of  Israel,  and  the  most 
important  centre  in  the  world  for  intensive  mission 
work  among  the  Jews.  His  chief  object,  however, 
was  to  plead  for  an  industrial  institution  as  auxiliary 
to  the  evangelistic  side.  Always  practical,  he 
suggested  that  one  or  two  Christian  craftsmen, 
cabinetmakers,  tinsmiths,  mother-of-pearl  engravers, 
leather-makers,  or  furriers,  might  go  to  Galilee  and 
ply  their  trade,  employing  as  apprentices  or  work¬ 
men  inquirers  and  converts  who  were  being  boy¬ 
cotted,  as  a  German  joiner,  unconnected  with  any 
mission,  had  already  done  in  Safed.  He  also 
brought .  out  the  exceptional  suitability  of  Safed 
for  mission  work.  It  should,  he  said,  be  made  the 
ciiief  educational  centre  for  boys  and  girls,  and  there 
should  be  established  in  it  a  boarding-school  and 
orphanage.  “  Safed  is  our  educational  battle¬ 
field.  It  is  the  healthiest  Jewish  centre  in  Galilee. 
Wt  could  never  think  of  erecting  an  orphanage 
in  Tiberias  which  would  have  to  be  vacated  for 
three  months  or  more  in  the  summer.” 

i  hese  matters  he  also  emphasized  in  the  General 
Assembly  of  1895.  “  The  speech  of  the  Jewish 
evening,  says  the  chronicler  of  the  proceedings, 

“  was  Dr;  Torrance’s.  He  had  a  tale  to  tell,  and 
told  it  with  a  liveliness  and  graphic  powder  which 

made  the  great  audience  hang  from  first  to  last 
upon  his  lips.” 

Recognizing  the  strategic  value  of  Safed,  the 


OPENING  OF  THE  HOSPITAL 


151 


Jewish  Mission  Committee,  maintaining  its  re¬ 
putation  for  enterprise,  decided  to  make  the  town 
the  centre  of  the  educational  operations  of  the 
Mission  ;  more  buildings  and  lots  of  land  were 
acquired,  and  the  work  was  organized  on  larger 
lines.  At  the  same  time  the  Church  Missions  to 
Jews  strengthened  its  hold  of  the  district  by  the 
erection  of  a  first-class  hospital.  Needless  to  say, 
the  staffs  of  the  two  Missions  worked  cordially 
hand  in  hand  in  their  common  service. 

At  this  point  Miss  Fenton  resigned  ;  and  then 
Mr.  Christie  left  to  take  up  an  appointment  at 
Aleppo  in  connection  with  the  Presbyterian  Church 
of  England,  but  one  well  qualified  took  his  place 
in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  (afterwards  Dr.)  J.  E.  H. 
Thomson,  B.D.  Both  he  and  his  wife,  who  under¬ 
took  the  charge  of  the  Girls’  School,  were  honorary 
workers.  As  they  were  members  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  Mr.  Soutar’s  salary  was 
paid  by  that  body,  there  was  here,  as  in  other  fields, 
a  fine  manifestation  of  that  brotherly  spirit  which 
was  soon  to  find  its  culmination  in  the  union  of  the 
two  Churches. 

While  Dr.  Torrance  was  in  Scotland  the  Com¬ 
mittee  proposed  that,  in  order  to  increase  his  use¬ 
fulness  on  the  field,  he  should  be  ordained  as  a 
missionary.  It  was  not  the  first  time  that  the 
matter  had  been  mooted,  but  he  had  always  con¬ 
sidered  that,  although  the  crowning  joy  of  his  work 
was  to  teach  the  Gospel,  the  needs  of  the  Mission 
demanded  not  one  missionary  with  a  double  quali¬ 
fication,  but  two  with  separate  qualifications.  On 
this  occasion  he  expressed  the  same  opinion  ;  he 


152 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

felt  that  his  gift  was  that  of  a  medical  missionary 
pure  and  simple,  and  that  the  great  medical  needs 
of  the  people  justified  him  in  this  attitude.  In  his 
humility,  also,  he  thought  himself  unworthy  of  the 
honour.  But  he  finally  agreed  on  the  understanding 
that  he  should  continue  to  work  as  hitherto,  and 
that  he  should  only  be  called  upon  to  exercise  the 
special  functions  of  a  minister  in  cases  of  emergency. 
He  was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  Glasgow 
and  left  Scotland  again  in  October  1 895. 

For  some  months  the  hospital  had  been  closed 
on  account  of  the  illness  of  Dr.  Wilson,  and  on 
reaching  Tiberias  he  learnt  how  it  was  appreciated. 
There  was  a  clamant  demand  for  beds,  and,  during 
the  following  two  months,  eighty-one  cases  were 
admitted,  thirty-nine  of  which  involved  operations 
requiring  the  administration  of  chloroform.  The 
hospital  could  not  hold  all  the  patients,  and  a  number 
were  housed  in  odd  rooms,  such  as  the  carpenter’s 
shop  and  the  store.  But  whenever  a  need  appeared 
it  was  not  long  in  being  met.  A  lady  in  Scotland 
girted  a  sum  of  money  for  a  shelter  ;  and  later  a 
commodious  building  with  an  archway  was  built 
as  an  entrance  to  the  hospital  grounds,  and  here 

overflow  patients  and  their  friends  found 
accommodation. 

ilie  grounds  were  beginning  to  look  clothed. 
Both  of  the  plots  formed  by  the  intersection  of  the 
road  had  been  terraced  and  converted  into  gardens, 
and  lemon,  orange,  apple,  eucalyptus,  and  other 
trees  had  been  added  to  the  palms  already  there. 

I  lie  greenery  and  rock  crevices  were  a  haunt  of 
snakes.  The  Doctor  calculated  that  there  were  five 


A  SPIRITUAL  CLINIC 


153 


venomous  and  twenty-seven  non-venomous  kinds 
in  the  country,  one,  a  venomous  nocturnal  species, 
being  large  enough  to  swallow  a  hare.  Those  in  the 
gardens  developed  the  habit  of  climbing  the  trees 
in  search  of  nests,  and  were  often  shot  by  the  staff. 
The  Doctor  had  frequent  encounters  with  the 
creatures,  for  they  came  into  the  house  during 
the  night.  His  plan  was  to  remain  perfectly  still, 
and  they  usually  made  off  without  molesting  him. 
It  must  have  taken  some  nerve  to  keep  quiet  when, 
as  happened  on  one  occasion,  he  awoke  to  see  a 
snake  6  feet  above  him  in  the  timbers  ;  yet  he  not 
only  did  so,  but  went  off  to  sleep  again  with  the 
snake  still  there. 

In  1895  Miss  Eleanor  A.  Durie,  a  daughter  of 
Mr.  Thomas  Durie  of  Port  Said,  and  born  in  Java, 
was  appointed  by  the  Jewish  Mission  Committee 
head  nurse  of  the  hospital.  She  proved  so  attrac¬ 
tive  as  well  as  so  capable,  that  in  August  of  the 
following  year  the  Doctor  carried  her  off  to  Beyrout, 
where  they  were  married,  and  the  home  that  had 
been  so  desolate  was  once  more  presided  over  by  a 
loving  and  sympathetic  nature. 


XVII.  A  SPIRITUAL  CLINIC 

1896 

While  the  hospital  presented  to  the  Doctor  an 
inexhaustible  field  for  professional  study,  it  also 
provided  him  with  exceptional  opportunities  for 


154 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


studying  the  human  soul  as  it  was  fashioned  by  the 
moulds  of  Judaism,  Islam,  and  Eastern  Christianity. 
It  was  a  spiritual  clinic  where  he  came  in  contact 
with  many  strange  types  of  thought  and  belief. 

In  the  course  of  the  years,  thousands  of  Jews 
passed  through  the  wards,  and  all  came  under  his 
quiet  and  keen  observation,  until  in  time  there  was 
nothing  that  he  did  not  know  about  their  inner  life. 
They  were  religionists  without  religion  ;  moralists 
without  spiritual  sensibility.  What  Paul  wrote  of 
them  was  still  true  :  they  had  a  zeal  of  God,  but 
not  according  to  knowledge.  Ignorant  of  God’s 
righteousness,  they  established  their  own  righteous¬ 
ness,  unaware  that  Christ  was  the  end  of  the  law. 
In  practice  their  faith  was  legalized  formalism, 
traditionalism,  ceremonialism,  which,  in  the  course 
of  centuries,  had  hardened  and  encased  them  to 
such  an  extent  that  their  souls  seemed  to  be  lost 
in  impenetrable  rock.  Though  many  were  intel¬ 
lectual  and  clever,  no  members  of  the  race  could 
have  been  more  bigoted  ;  it  was,  indeed,  their 
bigotry  that  had  drawn  them  to  the  shores  of  the 
sacred  sea,  and  naturally  the  children  born  and 
brought  up  in  so  isolated  an  environment  continued 
in  the  thoughts  and  ways  of  their  fathers.  Humanly 
speaking,  it  appeared  as  if  it  were  impossible  to 
reach  and  influence  them. 

Their  reading  was  confined  exclusively  to  the 
Talmud  ;  it  was  their  chief  ambition  to  know  it 
intimately  and  to  act  on  it  as  interpreted  by  the 
rabbis,  whom  they  regarded  as  endowed  with  super¬ 
human  wisdom.  They  would  rather  follow  the 
directions  of  some  learned  commentator  than  consult 


A  SPIRITUAL  CLINIC 


155 


the  Old  Testament  and  form  their  own  judgment 
on  the  facts.  They  were,  in  short,  mental  parasites 
as  dependent  on  others  for  their  spiritual  nourish¬ 
ment  as  they  were  for  their  food.  Their  worship 
was  a  matter  of  form  ;  they  confessed  as  much  to  the 
Doctor  ;  and  this  explained  the  strange  irreverence 
they  exhibited  in  their  religious  services. 

It  was  curious  that  they  should  be  so  ignorant 
of  the  historic  basis  of  their  religion,  and  should 
have  left  the  scientific  study  of  the  Old  Testament 
to  Christian  investigators  and  become  so  com¬ 
pletely  obsessed  by  a  vast  flood  of  secondary 
literature  amongst  which  they  groped  pathetically 
for  spiritual  satisfaction.  But  if  their  knowledge 
of  the  Old  Testament  was  meagre,  their  ignorance 
of  any  other  religion  save  their  own  was  colossal, 
and  the  Doctor  realized  the  truth  of  the  statement 
that  multitudes  of  Jews  knew  as  little  of  Christ  as 
the  savage  tribes  of  Central  Africa.  Many  ad¬ 
mitted  that  they  were  unaware  what  Christianity 
was,  and  what  relation  it  had  to  their  own  hoped-for 
Messiah.  “  How  did  it  arise  ?  ”  they  would  ask. 
“  What  has  been  its  history  up  to  the  present  ?  ” 
“  Have  any  Jews  accepted  it  yet  ?  ”  When  en¬ 
lightened  on  these  points  they  would  inquire  why 
the  law  of  Moses  was  not  being  obeyed,  and  why  the 
customs  observed  in  the  past  had  been  abandoned  ? 
They  were  puzzled  by  the  death  of  Christ.  “  If,” 
they  said,  “  Jesus  was  the  true  Messiah,  why  did 
God  allow  Him  to  be  killed  ?  ” 

No  Jew  was  hopeless,  and  fanaticism  the  Doctor 
did  not  mind,  for  that,  if  transmuted  by  Chris¬ 
tianity,  would  make  devoted  disciples  of  Christ,  but 


156 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

he  found  the  old  patients  extraordinarily  difficult. 
They  suffered  from  a  kind  of  mental  paralysis, 
a  fossilized  lethargy,  which  it  seemed  well-nigh 
impossible  to  galvanize  into  active  interest.  When 
discussing  religious  subjects  with  him,  they  would 
proceed  slowly  until  they  faced  some  difficulty, 
and  then  they  would  shrug  their  shoulders  and  re¬ 
main  as  passive  as  statues.  They  believed  because 
they  believed  ;  the  law  was  final  and  unalterable  ; 
and  no  argument  would  move  them.  Yet  that  they 
carried  away  some  new  thoughts  was  clear  from 
the  fact  that  in  shop  and  market  they  would  repeat 
and  discuss  what  they  had  heard. 

Occasionally  one  more  intelligent  than  the  others 
would  quicken  the  Doctor’s  attention.  To  speak 
to  him,  to  watch  the  words  sinking  into  his  mind, 
to  see  the  light  dawning  on  his  face  as  if  a  curtain 
had  been  drawn  back,  was  ample  reward  for  all  his 
patience.  There  was  a  lithographer  who  printed 
Gospel  texts  for  the  walls,  and  on  leaving,  said,  u  I 
would  like  to  be  a  Christian,  but  it  would  mean  that 
I  would  lose  my  living  and  my  wife  and  children.” 
Another,  who  arrived  with  a  well-thumbed  Torah 
with  Hebrew  and  Chaldaic  in  parallel  columns,  ac¬ 
cepted  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament,  laid  the  Torah 
aside,  and  began  to  read  the  Gospel  story.  Often  at 
nights,  when  he  could  not  sleep,  he  would  be  found 
poring  ovei  the  pages,  and  once  the  nurse  on  duty 
heard  him  reading  aloud  to  the  Jewish  patients 
beside  him.  She  stopped  and  listened,  and  heard 
the  words,  “  And  thou  shalt  call  His  name  Jesus, 
for  He  shall  save  His  people  from  their  sins.” 
One  old  Jew  found  the  truth,  rejoiced  in  it  openly 


A  SPIRITUAL  CLINIC 


157 


because  he  would  never  again  live  amongst  his 
fellows,  and  died  with  the  words  of  the  23rd  Psalm 
on  his  lips. 

The  Moslem  patients  naturally  did  not  re¬ 
present  the  highest  type  of  Mohammedan  thought  ; 
they  were  as  fanatical  as  the  Jews,  but  the  majority 
were  more  ignorant  of  the  world,  and,  as  a  result 
of  the  conditions  of  their  lives,  even  more  bound 
to  their  religion.  To  them  God,  or  Allah,  while 
more  real  than  He  was  to  the  Jews,  was  a  Being 
infinitely  removed  from  their  practical  life,  and 
their  relation  to  Him  was  divorced  from  the  practice 
of  morality  as  the  Christian  knew  it.  The  people 
would  say  that  their  religion  was,  like  their  clothes, 
loose  and  easy,  as  compared  with  the  religion  of  the 
Christians,  which,  like  their  clothes,  was  tight  and 
uncomfortable.  Their  law  tolerated  infidels  who 
did  not  trespass  on  the  sacred  essentials  of  their 
faith,  but  visited  with  death  any  who  ran  counter 
to  these.  They  had  the  same  lack  of  a  sense  of 
sin  as  the  Jews  and  the  same  reliance  on  formal 
prayer.  Many  looked  upon  the  theology  of  Chris¬ 
tianity  as  silly  and  even  blasphemous,  and  they 
could  not  understand  the  missionaries  and  their 
selfless  lives  or  the  relation  between  their  practical 
goodness  and  the  religious  ideas  that  seemed  to 
inspire  them.  They  readily  attended  the  services 
and  listened  courteously  to  what  was  said,  but  it 
was  not  easy  to  guess  what  was  going  on  behind 
their  dark  gleaming  eyes. 

The  bedouin  often  manifested  interest  in  the 
strange  new  thoughts  that  came  to  them  with  a 
sweetness  like  the  scent  of  a  green  oasis  in  the 


158 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


desert ;  but  if  they  exhibited  undue  attraction  for 
the  Christian  faith,  they  incurred  the  suspicion  of 
their  co-religionists,  and  conversion  meant  death. 
They  must  have  been  influenced  by  what  they 
heard  in  the  hospital,  but  if  so  they  kept  it  to  them¬ 
selves.  The  Doctor  had  a  great  liking  for  these 
stalwart  nomads  of  the  desert.  “  They  are  men 
who  are  men,  he  said.  u  Like  our  Scottish 
borderers,  a  fighting  race.” 

As  a  rule  the  native  Christian  patients  were 
poor  in  character  and  many  were  as  superstitious 
as  the  fellahin.  This,  perhaps,  was  not  surprising, 
for  many  of  their  priests  were  little  better  than 
themselves.  One  patient,  a  Greek  priest  from  Cana, 
was  utterly  illiterate  and  extremely  coarse  in 
thought  and  language.  His  wife,  a  quiet,  attractive 
woman,  who  stood  patiently  by  his  side,  was  cursed 
day  and  night,  the  invective  extending  even  to  her 
grandfather  and  most  distant  relations.  Yet  he 
was  regarded  and  reverenced  as  a  holy  man.  It 
was  difficult  to  influence  these  Christians,  who 
were  so  satisfied  with  their  own  type  of  religion 
that  they  wanted  nothing  better. 

The  Doctor  was  interested  in  watching  the 
change  effected  on  the  patients  by  a  stay  in  the 
free  atmosphere  of  the  hospital.  Gradually  the 
aloofness  wore  off,  creeds  were  pushed  into  the 
background,  and  the  simple  human  man  appeared 
in  all  his  attractiveness.  Jews  and  Moslems  and 
Christians  fraternized  on  a  level  of  common  toler¬ 
ance.  As  the  Doctor  went  his  rounds  he  would 
smile  to  see  a  Greek  Christian  and  a  Moslem  from 
trans-Jordania  emptying  their  food  into  one  dish 


A  SPIRITUAL  CLINIC 


159 


on  a  chair  beside  their  beds  and  eating  out  of  it  like 
brothers. 

With  the  men  patients,  even  with  the  most 
insularly  bigoted,  it  was  always  possible  for  him  to 
get  into  touch  at  some  point  ;  they  would  listen 
and  ask  questions  and  discuss  even  while  they  dis¬ 
approved  ;  but  when  he  went  into  the  women’s 
ward  he  felt  as  if  he  were  facing  the  dark  and 
fathomless  night.  They  were  not  only  conser¬ 
vative,  ignorant,  and  superstitious,  but  incurious,  a 
fact  due  to  their  position  in  the  system  of  life.  The 
womenkind  both  of  the  Jews  and  Moslems  had  no 
concern  with  religion — it  was  not  their  province  ; 
but  while  Jewesses  occupied  a  proper  place  in  the 
family  and  were  kindly  treated,  the  Moslem  women 
were  regarded  as  inferior  creatures,  and  were  down¬ 
trodden,  spiritless,  and  resigned  to  their  lot. 
“  Yes,”  said  the  Doctor,  “  the  women  are  the  most 
difficult  to  catch,  but  when  caught  and  they  are  told 
the  Gospel  message  simply  and  clearly,  it  appeals 
to  them  in  all  its  beauty  and  truth.”  They  re¬ 
sponded  also  more  quickly  than  the  men  to  the  love 
and  sympathy  which  pervaded  all  the  service  of 
the  hospital.  Here  is  one  story  told  by  the  Doctor 
at  this  time  which  is  typical  of  many  others  : 

“  In  the  hinterland  of  Morocco,  amid  the  desert,  there  is  an 
oasis  called  Tafilet,  where  a  colony  of  the  scattered  race  of  Jews 
is  to  be  found.  There,  fifty-six  years  ago,  Johara,  daughter  of 
David,  a  Jewess,  at  present  lying  in  the  ‘  Sympathy  bed  ’  in  the 
hospital,  was  born.  At  the  age  of  ten  she  was  married  ;  and 
she  lived  amongst  the  vicissitudes  of  that  wild  and  backward 
land  a  fairly  happy  life.  Though  they  may  have  almost  no 
education,  the  Jews  have  always  their  feasts  and  fasts  recalling 
to  them  their  fatherland,  which  inspires  in  the  heart  ol  many  a 


160 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Jew  the  desire  to  return  thither.  In  Tiberias  there  are  300  Jews 
from  that  out-of-the-way  district  of  Tafilet. 

“  Johara,  with  her  husband,  his  brother,  and  others,  started 
for  Palestine  six  years  ago.  A  twelve  days’  journey  took  them 
to  Tangier.  There  they  embarked  on  a  ship  for  Alexandria. 
At  Alexandria  Johara’s  husband  died,  but  she  continued  the 
journey  with  the  party.  While  disembarking  at  Haifa  roadstead 
in  stormy  weather,  the  row-boat  bringing  them  to  shore  was 
capsized  ;  the  passengers  were  thrown  into  the  water,  all  their 
belongings  lost,  and  several  of  them  were  drowned.  Johara  and 
her  brother-in-law  were  amongst  the  number  saved. 

“  Eventually  they  reached  Tiberias,  penniless  and  in  rags. 
Here,  being  childless  and  a  widow,  she  demanded  her  right  to 
become  her  brother-in-law’s  wife  ;  but  he  refused,  and  she 
publicly  took  off  his  shoe  and  spat  and  beat  him  in  the  face. 
The  poor  woman  had  then  to  try  and  earn  her  own  living,  none 
wishing  to  marry  such  a  woman.  She  hired  a  little  cellar  at 
one  shilling  per  month  from  a  Jewess,  who  only  a  short  time 
ago  left  the  ‘  Skelmorlie  ’  bed  after  a  successful  operation. 
Johara  bought  white  wool,  washed,  cleaned,  carded,  and  spun 
it,  and  then  sold  it  to  the  rabbis  for  the  manufacture  of  *  fringes  ’ 
for  the  Jewish  talliths.  By  this  means  she  made  about  two 
shillings  per  week,  and  managed  to  keep  body  and  soul  together, 
but  it  was  a  poor  body  that  clung  to  the  spirit.  She  came  with 
fever  and  debility  several  times  to  our  out-patient  department 
before  we  took  her  into  the  hospital.  There  we  discovered  she 
was  suffering  from  tubercular  disease  of  the  abdomen.  An 
exploratory  operation  was  performed,  when  the  condition  was 
found  to  be  hopeless. 

“  Poor  Johara  !  We  were  very  sorry  for  her,  with  no  friends, 
and  no  one  caring  for  her,  for  her  brother-in-law  died  in  the 
hospital  a  year  ago.  So  we  have  determined  to  keep  her  as  a 
permanent  patient  till  her  end.  Wonderful,  however,  to  relate, 
her  pain  has  gone,  and  she  is  so  happy  and  contented  and  grateful 
that  one  is  almost  tempted  to  think  that  she  is  improving.  She 
told  me  her  story  as  I  sat  by  her  bedside  to-night.  The  dull, 
hopeless  expression  she  wore  when  she  came  in  a  month  ago  was 
all  gone,  and  she  smiled  and  almost  laughed  when  I  said  I  would 
bring  her  her  implements  and  get  her  to  spin  me  some  wool 
when  she  got  a  little  stronger.” 


Moslem  Woman  carrying  Water  from  the  Lake 
This  photograph  shows  the  clear,  strong  light  characteristic  of  Palestine 


Tiberias  Shops 


Moonlight  on  the  Lake 

A  photograph  taken  by  Dr.  Herbert  Torrance  :  exposure  i  hour  20  minutes 


Dr.  Torrance  walking  on  the  Plain  where  the  5000  are  supposed 

TO  HAVE  BEEN  FED 


A  SPIRITUAL  CLINIC 


161 


The  accumulated  result  of  the  Doctor’s  experi¬ 
ence  was  to  confirm  his  impression  that  it  was 
essential  to  lift  the  Jewish  and  Moslem  minds  out 
of  the  stupor  of  their  environment  and  to  train 
them  to  think  for  themselves .  This ,  he  was  satisfied , 
was  one  of  the  functions  being  performed  by  the 
hospital.  It  brought  the  patients  into  contact 
with  higher  conceptions  of  the  religious  life  as  no 
other  agency  could  have  done.  It  stirred  their 
interest,  gave  them  a  wider  vision  that  made  them 
realize  the  forces  at  work  in  other  lands  and  among 
other  races,  supplied  them  with  an  historic  sense. 
In  many  insensible  ways  it  prepared  their  minds 
for  utilizing  the  Christian  school  ;  it  was  the 
forerunner  and  handmaid  also  of  the  •  Christian 
evangelist. 


PART  THREE 

I.  THE  JEWISH  DREAM 

^97 

While  the  Mission  was  taking  definite  and  per¬ 
manent  shape  and  becoming  more  and  more  a 
powerful  centre  of  Christian  influence,  events  were 
occurring  in  Palestine  which  were  profoundly 
affecting  the  prospects  of  all  missionary  work. 
The  Jewish  reoccupation  of  the  land  was  enter¬ 
ing  on  a  new  phase  and  one  more  worthy  of  the 
practical  genius  of  the  race. 

The  khalukah  system  had  made  the  country 
a  Jewish  poorhouse.  So  long  as  the  charitable 
doles  lasted  there  was  no  probability  of  the  re¬ 
cipients  taking  a  share  in  its  economic  development 
and  becoming  self-supporting.  Baron  Rothschild’s 
scheme  of  colonies  had  been  no  improvement  on 
the  system  but  only  another  form  of  it.  So  much 
money  was  poured  into  the  hands  of  the  colonists 
that  they  were  able  to  employ  Arabs  to  perform  the 
necessary  work,  while  they  themselves  remained 
in  idleness.  Without  the  backing  of  the  personal 
application  and  labour  which  were  essential  to 
success,  the  undertakings  proved  unremunerative 
and  were  only  maintained  by  the  financial  contri- 

163 


164 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


butions  from  abroad.  The  whole  khalukah  system 
was  debasing  ;  it  has  since  been  described  by  the 
Jews  themselves  as  having  been  a  negative  and 
destructive  factor  in  their  connection  with 
Palestine. 

The  emancipation  of  the  people  from  their 
bonds  was  undoubtedly  due,  in  the  first  instance,  to 
the  work  of  the  missionary  agencies.  To  counter¬ 
balance  their  activities  the  Alliance  Israelite 
Universelle  extended  its  educational  work  in 
Palestine,  opening  schools  for  boys  and  girls 
wherever  the  Jews  congregated  in  any  numbers. 
The  element  of  charity,  however,  continued  to 
operate,  as  the  children  were  induced  to  attend  by 
the  provision  of  free  dinners  and  supplies  of  clothes 
several  times  a  year.  Not  that  the  British  mission 
schools  were  innocent  of  such  gifts.  Clothing,  for 
instance,  was  sent  out  from  England  and  Scotland, 
and  judiciously  distributed,  while  meals  were  also 
occasionally  provided ;  but  these  were  not  used  as 
bribes  to  draw  pupils.  More  reliance  was  placed 
on  the  character  and  efficiency  of  the  teaching,  and 
it  was  this  which  continued  to  make  the  schools 
popular  long  after  the  Alliance  Israelite  institutions 
began.  There  was  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of  the 
missionaries,  however,  that  the  latter  would 
eventually  rival,  if  not  excel,  them  in  educational 
equipment  and  staffing. 

No  plan  existed  then  in  the  mind  of  the  Alliance 
to  relate  this  cultural  effort  to  any  scheme  having 
for  its  aim  the  national  occupation  of  Palestine  ; 
it  was  purely  an  internal  racial  movement  carried  on 
as  part  of  its  philanthropic  work  throughout  the 


THE  JEWISH  DREAM 


165 


world.  The  colonies  remained  scattered  and 
isolated  with  comparatively  little  interconnection, 
and  there  seemed  no  prospect  of  any  widespread 
settlement  and  economic  development.  But  the 
general  Jewish  situation  was  rapidly  changing. 
The  influences  which  had  been  making  for  disinte¬ 
gration  and  assimilation  were  stayed.  The  con¬ 
gestion  and  social  conditions  in  the  ghettos  of 
Eastern  Europe  were  so  frightful,  the  political 
pressure  so  unbearable,  that  it  became  clear  to 
leaders  of  the  race  that  some  relief  would  have  to 
be  found  in  emigration  on  a  large  scale.  The 
Dreyfus  case  did  what  persecution  always  achieved — 
it  drew  the  Jews  together,  revived  their  solidarity, 
and  set  them  dreaming  of  a  national  home.  There 
was  a  remarkable  development  of  the  national 
historic  consciousness  which  found  an  embodiment 
in  the  magnetic  personality  of  Dr.  Theodor 
Herzl,  who  came  forward  with  a  definite  scheme 
for  the  establishment  of  a  Jewish  State.  Though 
there  was  nothing  new  in  the  idea,  his  little  book 
created  an  immense  sensation  throughout  Jewry. 
Many  influential  Jews  opposed  the  project,  but  Herzl 
persevered  and  prevailed,  and  at  the  first  Zionist 
Congress,  at  Basle,  in  1897,  it  was  decided,  amidst 
scenes  of  great  enthusiasm,  to  work  for  the  creation 
of  a  publicly  recognized,  legally  secured  home  in 
Palestine.  The  movement  was  not  essentially 
religious  in  character — it  was  more  of  a  racial  and 
social  uprising ;  but  out  of  it  developed  political 
Zionism. 

Calm  reflection  brought  out  wide  differences 
of  opinion  on  the  subject.  Some  Jews  advocated 


166  A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

an  autonomous  State,  others  only  a  cultural  centre. 
One  paity  was  keen  for  the  home  being  in  Palestine, 
another  objected  to  this  plan  because  the  land  would 
not  support  a  nation,  and  it  would  be  difficult,  if 
not  impossible,  to  secure  it.  Others  proposed 
richer  regions,  and  as  not  a  few  governments  sym¬ 
pathized  with  their  aspirations,  offers  of  tracts  of 
territory  in  Uganda,  Mexico,  South  America,  the 
Congo,  and  Australia  were  made  to  them.  Some 
of  these  were,  after  investigation,  declined,  others 
were  accepted  ;  but  experimental  settlements  ended 
in  failure. 

Meanwhile  in  Palestine  itself  the  Jews  were 
quietly  making  progress.  The  keen  business  sense 
of  the  race  came  into  operation.  In  1899  the 
Jewish  Colonization  Association  took  over  the 
management  of  the  colonies  and  changed  the  whole 
system.  Instead  of  the  colonists  living  a  parasitic 
life  on  Rothschild  benefactions  they  were  now 
assisted  to  become  self-supporting.  The  land  was 
divided  among  them,  each  obtained  a  certain  num¬ 
ber  of  acres  for  building  and  cultivation,  and  was 
provided  with  a  loan  which  had  to  be  repaid  in  a 
given  time.  To  every  colony  was  allotted  a  school 
and  a  pharmacy .  The  conditions  of  tenure  obliged 
the  settlers  to  work  hard.  They  were  not  now 
princes  but  peasants,  no  longer  the  “  Baron’s 
children,  but  independent  toilers  who  had  to  earn 
their  livelihood  by  the  sweat  of  their  brow.  They 
began  to  import  modern  implements  from  Canada, 
Britain,  and  Germany — in  one  of  the  colonies  on 
the  shore  of  the  Lake  of  Galilee  could  be  found  more 
than  one  reaper  and  binder  of  the  latest  pattern. 


THE  JEWISH  DREAM 


167 


The  land  responded  to  their  efforts  and  became 
more  productive. 

Agents  of  the  Association  went  over  the  country, 
noting  with  scientific  eye  the  possibilities  of  the 
soil,  and  bought  up  tracts  that  seemed  suitable 
for  their  purpose.  New  colonies  were  established, 
and  young  men,  many  fresh  from  Europe,  were 
placed  in  them.  Nearly  every  one  married.  The 
settlements  became  centres  of  wholesome,  vigorous 
life  in  which  racial  exclusiveness  and  religious  in¬ 
tolerance  were  much  less  marked  than  in  the  towns. 
At  the  same  time  the  Alliance  was  training  boys  and 
girls  in  technical  schools  and  model  farms,  pre¬ 
paratory  to  settling  them  on  the  land. 

The  attitude  of  the  Turks,  the  masters  of  the 
land,  to  these  developments  was  one  of  alternate 
indifference  and  active  opposition.  They  banned 
the  sale  of  property  to  Jews  ;  but  property  never¬ 
theless  was  sold.  The  entrance  of  a  Jew  into 
the  country  was  prohibited  ;  but  individuals  would 
manage  to  land  and  lose  themselves  in  the  slums 
of  the  holy  cities  or  pose  as  old  residenters.  The 
police  were  always  on  the  outlook  for  these  new¬ 
comers  who  were  a  gold  mine  to  them.  If  they 
paid  bakhshish  all  was  well  ;  if  not,  they  were 
threatened  with  deportation.  Generally,  so  long 
as  the  settled  communities  exercised  the  grace  of 
humility,  and  were  meek  and  inoffensive,  they  were 
let  alone. 

Dr.  Torrance  had  a  shrewd  idea  as  to  whither 
all  this  was  tending.  Fie  wrote  :  “We  do  not  think 
it  likely  that  a  Jewish  kingdom  will  be  established, 
but  if  present  restrictions  on  the  entrance  of  Jews 


168 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


and  the  purchase  of  land  were  removed,  it  would 
soon  in  larger  measure  be  owned  and  occupied  by 
this  ancient  race,  who  would  not  consider  it  a  dis¬ 
grace  but  an  honour  to  till  the  land  of  their  fathers. 
That  this  may  occur  is  not  at  all  unlikely,  and  thus 
.  Palestine  may  be  looked  upon  strategically  as  an 
important  field  for  mission  work,  far  beyond  what 
might  be  considered  were  the  present  Jewish  popula¬ 
tion  alone  taken  into  account. ” 


II.  AMONGST  THE  ARABS 
1897-1900 

The  work  of  the  Mission  went  quietly  on.  “  There 
is  so  much  sickness,  pain,  sin,  and  misery  around, ” 
wrote  the  Doctor,  “  that  one  is  constantly  planning 
and  thinking  of  what  more  can  be  done  for  their 
alleviation.”  As  much  was  due  to  bad  housing 
and  sanitary  conditions,  he  repeatedly  urged  the 
Government  to  provide  a  pure  water-supply  and 
some  sort  of  sewage  system  ;  but,  apart  from  the 
fact  th  it  there  was  no  money  for  public  purposes, 
the  officials  were  blind  to  the  necessity  for  such 
measures.  In  the  Mission  compound  a  force-pump 
had  been  installed  to  drive  the  water  from  the 
Lake  up  to  the  cisterns  of  the  various  buildings. 
A  mule  was  the  motive-power  employed  for  many 
years,  but  was  eventually  replaced  by  a  motor- 
engine.  The  Doctor  often  declared  that  the  mule 
had  been  the  best  missionary  in  Palestine. 


AMONGST  THE  ARABS 


169 


There  was  never  any  rest  for  the  Doctor.  How 
he  contrived  to  accomplish  all  he  did,  even  with 
native  assistance,  was  a  mystery.  “  He  is  shame¬ 
fully  overworked  ”  a  visitor  wrote  at  this  time. 
In  1900  the  number  of  in-patients  was  296 — 
1 15  Jews,  130  Moslems,  and  51  Christians  ;  in 
the  dispensary  the  total  number  of  attendances  for 
consultations  and  dressings  was  15,334  ;  10,460 

prescriptions  were  dispensed ;  and  about  1000 
visits  were  paid  to  patients  in  their  homes.  The 
fees  amounted  to  £111,  a  large  sum  considering 
the  extent  to  which  the  principle  of  bakhshish 
ruled  the  mind  of  the  natives  and  the  fact  that  the 
Jewish  doctors  gave  free  treatment. 

Many  of  the  results  achieved  were  marvellous. 
The  Doctor  himself  attributed  them  to  the  better 
accommodation  and  equipment  and  the  efficiency 
of  the  nursing,  but  much  was  due  to  his  own  skill 
and  care.  When  critical  cases  were  in  the  wards 
he  would  not  take  time  for  meals.  He  could  not 
rest  at  night  or  go  to  sleep,  but  would  rise  and  visit 
the  hospital  to  reassure  himself  about  the  con¬ 
dition  of  the  patients.  It  was,  at  any  rate,  to  him 
that  the  patients  attributed  their  recovery.  They 
would  kiss  his  hand  when  he  entered  the  wards  ; 
women  would  even  kneel  and  kiss  his  feet,  and  in 
the  street  little  children  would  run  after  him  to 
express  their  gratitude  in  the  same  graceful  way. 
Old  patients  would  send  him  sheep,  goats,  oil, 
raisins,  butter,  and  other  gifts. 

His  fame  continued  to  extend.  A  fourth  of 
the  patients  were  strangers,  chiefly  Arabs  from  the 
great  stretches  of  Arabia  to  the  east  and  south  ; 


170 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


they  came  on  camels,  horses,  donkeys,  and  even 
on  the  backs  of  friends.  Many  brought  their  tents 
and  belongings  and  camped  outside  the  hospital. 
One  bedouin,  with  swarthy  complexion,  piercing 
dark  eyes,  and  coil  of  black  hair,  named  Derwish, 
the  son  of  a  sheikh,  had  suffered  much  at  the  hands 
of  native  practitioners,  and  was  operated  on.  As 
he  lay  very  ill  the  father  and  brothers  appeared, 
great  stalwart  fellows,  in  picturesque  dress,  and 
armed  with  swords  and  pistols.  When  the  father 
saw  the  care  and  solicitude  bestowed  on  his  son  he 
stepped  forward  and  said  to  the  Doctor,  “  This 
shows  love  and  fear  of  God.”  Asking  them  to  be 
seated  beside  the  cot  the  Doctor  spoke  to  them 
simply  and  clearly  of  Christ’s  love  for  man,  and 
every  now  and  then  they  nodded  in  approval.  They 
presented  him  with  some  gold,  and  invited  him  to 
visit  them  and  bring  his  friends.  “  Even  if  a 
hundred  came  you  shall  be  welcome.”  “  Praise 
be  to  God  and  to  you  who  have  cured  me,”  was  the 
patient’s  farewell  words  as  he  left  for  his  desert 
home. 

People  would  travel  for  three  or  four  days  merely 
to  see  the  Doctor  for  five  minutes  ;  and  what 
showed  the  confidence  felt  in  his  powers  was  the 
increasing  number  of  patients  sent  by  other  doctors 
from  beyond  the  Jordan,  from  the  Jewish  colonies, 
and  from  towns  in  distant  parts  of  Palestine  and 
beyond.  The  Tiberias  hospital  was  now  as  re¬ 
nowned  as  the  Tiberias  baths. 

“  There  is,  of  course,”  wrote  Mr.  Soutar,  “  a 
certain  attraction  in  Tiberias.  Dr.  Torrance  is 
known  far  and  wide  as  a  very  skilful  hakim,  and  is 


AMONGST  THE  ARABS 


171 


celebrated  as  such  in  a  very  wide  district.  For 
instance,  recently  there  came  an  Arab  from  Central 
Arabia,  over  thirty  days’  journey.  Somehow  or 
other,  in  that  far  country,  he  had  heard  of  Dr. 
Torrance.  On  another  occasion,  a  member  of  a 
bedouin  tribe  arrived  from  the  back  of  the  desert, 
and  a  very  curious  specimen  he  was.  Fie  had 
never  seen  a  house  with  a  stair,  and  his  admiration 
when  he  saw  our  hospital  was  unbounded.  All  he 
could  say  was  £  Mashallah  !  ’  (It  is  God’s  will). 
For  a  long  time  he  could  not  be  persuaded  to  go 
upstairs,  but  ultimately  they  got  him  to  attempt  it 
on  his  hands  and  feet.” 

The  Doctor  was  asked  to  do  the  most  extra¬ 
ordinary  operations.  One  fellah  suffering  from 
dyspepsia  begged  him  to  cut  out  his  stomach  and 
clean  it.  Their  faith  in  him  was  boundless. 
Fathers  would  bring  their  sons  and  daughters  and 
leave  them  saying,  “  They  are  in  your  hands — do 
with  them  what  you  will.”  They  had  confidence 
in  his  slightest  word.  Cases  of  insanity  were 
considered  to  be  due  to  demoniacal  possession,  and 
the  friends  of  a  patient  would  go  away  rejoicing 
when  told  by  the  Doctor  that  he  was  not  afflicted 
with  a  devil. 

Camp  work  was  carried  on  whenever  other 
duties  permitted.  Of  one  of  his  short  excursions 
to  the  bedouin  on  the  farther  lakeside  he  wrote  : 

I  saw  from  fifty  to  sixty  patients  each  day,  and 
performed  several  minor  operations.  I  had  oppor¬ 
tunities  to  address  these  poor  people  several  times 
daily,  and  told  them  as  much  as  I  could  of  the  life 
and  spirit  of  our  Lord.  I  was  never  in  the  slightest 


172 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


danger,  and  was  all  along  treated  as  a  friend  and  with 
honour.  How  I  wish  we  could  establish  branches 
in  all  the  villages  and  encampments  round  the 
Lake.” 

On  one  occasion  on  a  desert  journey  he  found 
war  going  on  between  two  tribes.  When  it  became 
known  that  “  Trance  ”  was  in  the  vicinity  hostilities 
ceased,  and  members  of  both  parties  visited  his  tent 
for  treatment  and  medicine.  Side  by  side  they  sat, 
also,  and  listened  to  the  gospel  of  peace.  Of  a 
more  distant  tour  he  gives  this  glimpse : 

“  At  El  Husn  I  spent  several  days  camping  on  the  threshing- 
floor.  My  tent  was  surrounded  with  patients  so  that  I  had  to 
request  the  use  of  a  large  room,  which  was  readily  granted  by  a 
Moslem,  an  old  patient.  There  I  sat  for  five  or  six  hours  at  a 
stretch  attending  to  patients  and  addressing  audiences  of  fifty  or 
sixty.  I  was  invited  to  meals  at  all  the  principal  houses.  I 
was  afraid  if  I  visited  Irbid,  the  seat  of  Government,  that  the 
Governor  might  send  me  back  bag  and  baggage  to  Tiberias, 
missionaries  and  all  Europeans — being  forbidden  in  this 
region,  so  I  sent  the  camp  on  before  me,  and  meanwhile  with 
medicine  in  saddle-bags  visited  the  Moslem  village  of  Eidun. 
Iieie  the  Sheikh  entertained  me  at  lunch  and  kept  me  busy 
attending  the  sick.  Then  he  sent  a  horseman  with  me  to 
Irbid.  At  Irbid  I  was  pleasantly  surprised  to  find  that  my 
tents  had  been  pitched  on  the  castle  hill  adjoining  the  Govern¬ 
ment  offices,  and  that  chairs  had  been  brought  from  there  for  my 
use.  Amongst  the  patients  were  the  children  of  the  Governor. 

At  i  ell  esh-Shehab  I  was  entertained  as  guest  by  the 
renowned  family  of  Hasheesh,  the  most  wealthy,  bigoted,  and 
influential  people  in  the  Jolan  district.  When  riding  to  the 
place  I  got  entangled  in  a  ravine,  and  might  have  met  with  a 
nasty  accident  had  not  a  horseman  noticed  my  mistake  and 
galloped  to  the  other  side  of  the  ravine  and  directed  me  how  to 
cross.  I  his  turned  out  to  be  Derwish,  my  old  patient,  the 
Sheikh  s  eldest  son.  I  found  him  and  his  father  as  grateful 
as  ever.  For  three  days  I  had  clinics  with  Gospel  addresses,  and 


AMONGST  THE  ARABS 


173 


left  with  an  invitation  to  come  again  next  year.  I  believe  I  am 
the  first  Christian  who  has  preached  the  Gospel  in  this  fanatical 
stronghold  of  Mohammedanism. 

“  I  visited  the  Jewish  colonies  of  Sahem  el-Jolan,  finding 
there  less  than  a  score  of  Jews,  as  the  Government  strenuously 
opposes  the  settlement  of  Jews  or  Europeans  east  of  the  Jordan. 
I  was  entertained  by  the  Administrator,  who  thought  I  was 
travelling  for  pleasure ;  but  I  explained  the  medical  missionary 
aspect  of  my  work,  and  so  was  able  to  introduce  the  subject  of 
the  Gospel  of  Christ.” 

The  Doctor,  it  will  be  seen,  never  forgot  that 
his  principal  aim  was  to  win  men  and  women  to 
Christ.  He  would  sail  under  no  false  colours,  and 
was  fearless  in  carrying  out  his  commission.  Most 
of  the  sheikhs  he  visited  knew  well  what  his  purpose 
was,  but  were  disarmed  by  his  brotherly  qualities 
as  well  as  by  his  skill.  They  would  endeavour, 
however,  to  avoid  the  ordeal  of  visiting  the  Mission 
hospital,  and  beg  to  be  healed  at  once  in  their  camps 
and  villages.  One  old  sheikh  complained  that  he 
had  some  chest  trouble,  and  wished  the  Doctor 
to  cure  him  then  and  there. 

“  I  cannot  do  anything  now,”  the  Doctor  said  ; 
“  but  if  you  come  to  the  dispensary  at  Tiberias  I 
will  gladly  do  what  I  can  for  you.” 

The  Arab  insisted  on  immediate  treatment. 

“  Suppose  now,”  replied  the  Doctor,  “  that  I 
was  riding  along  your  pasture  grounds  and  a  shoe 
came  off  my  horse’s  foot,  and  you  were  not  far  off 
with  your  cattle,  and  I  rode  up  to  you  and  asked 
you  to  put  on  the  shoe,  you  would  be  willing  to  help 
me.  But  if  I  asked  you  to  do  it  at  once  you  would 
say,  would  you  not,  ‘  I  have  neither  hammer  nor 
nails  here,  but  come  along  with  me  to  my  tent  and 


174 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


I  will  do  it  for  you  ?  I  would  never  insist  on  your 
doing  it  on  the  spot,  would  I  ?  ” 

"  No.” 

"  Well,  you  come  to  my  dispensary  at  Tiberias.” 

“  And  will  you  cure  me  if  I  do  ?  ” 

“  Yes,  if  God  wills.” 

The  Arab  bowed  low  at  the  sacred  name  and 
said  he  would  come,  knowing  full  well  that  if  he 
went,  he  would  have  to  hear  about  the  foreign 

religion,  and,  who  knows,  might  be  disturbed  in 
soul. 

The  hospital  was  still  the  chief  evangelizing 
agency.  Daily  prayers  were  held  by  the  nurses  ; 
the  evangelist  and  Biblewoman  moved  about  and 
lead  to  the  patients  or  spoke  to  them  in  a  simple 
way  ;  on  Sunday  mornings  there  was  an  Arabic 
service,  conducted,  as  a  rule,  by  the  clerical  mis¬ 
sionary,  for  all  the  patients  able  to  attend  :  they 
were  taken  or  carried  to  the  out-patients’  hall, 
where  they  rested  on  rugs  and  pillows — and  in  the 
afternoon  the  Doctor  held  a  service  in  the  hospital. 
Every  morning,  after  the  workers  had  prayers 
together,  a  short  service  was  held  in  the  waiting- 
hall  of  the  dispensary.  This  the  Doctor  conducted 
on  Mondays,  using  the  address  he  had  given  the 
previous  day  in  the  wards,  and  on  other  days  it 
was  taken  by  his  colleague  or  the  evangelist.  The 
latter  afterwards  spoke  and  read  with  those  who 
were  waiting  their  turn. 

No  compulsion  whatever  was  exercised  to 
ensure  attendance  or  attention  at  the  services  \ 
they  were  part  of  the  routine  of  a  Christian  in¬ 
stitution.  Both  in-  and  out-patients  were  free  to 


AMONGST  THE  ARABS 


175 


do  as  they  chose.  In  the  hospital  all  could  perform 
their  devotions  in  their  own  way  ;  the  Moslem 
could  read  his  Koran  and  the  Jew  his  prayer-book. 
But  as  a  rule  only  the  most  fanatical  absented  them¬ 
selves  from  the  ward  meetings,  the  others  wel¬ 
coming  the  little  break  and  fresh  interest  in  their 
lives.  It  was  a  curious  assemblage,  and  the  be¬ 
haviour  was  not  what  a  home  preacher  would  have 
desired.  There  were  often  audible  criticisms  of 
what  was  said  ;  sometimes  an  irritable  Jew  would 
make  a  disparaging  remark  when  the  name  of 
Jesus  was  mentioned,  or  the  comment  would  be 
by  way  of  commendation. 

The  Doctor  entertained  no  illusions  about  the 
value  of  formal  addresses  ;  he  believed  more  in 
quiet  personal  dealing.  Often  at  night,  even  when 
worn  out  and  wearied,  he  would  go  over  to  the 
hospital  and  move  around  and  engage  in  talk  with 
the  patients.  He  knew  that  if  he  went  in  an  official 
way  it  would  be  difficult  to  pierce  their  armour, 
but  going  as  a  simple  human  being  like  one  of 
themselves  he  found  them  disarmed  and  approach¬ 
able  and  as  responsive  as  he  could  wish.  “  Well,” 
he  would  say  to  one  after  joking  with  him,  “  what 
was  the  Biblewoman  saying  to  you  to-day  ?  ” 
There  would  be  no  reply,  and  an  appeal  would  be 
made  to  the  occupants  of  the  other  beds.  Some 
one  would  be  sure  to  remember,  and  a  discussion 
would  ensue.  In  this  way  he  sought  to  deepen 
the  transitory  impression  made,  and  few  left  the 
hospital  without  a  more  or  less  permanent  picture 
of  Christ  and  Christianity. 

Yet  the  visible  lack  of  result  was  often  very 


176 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


depressing,  and  it  needed  the  eternal  spirit  of  hope 
within  him  to  lighten  his  way  along  what  seemed 
an  endlessly  barren  track. 


III.  LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS 
i 900- i 90 i 

While  the  prejudice  against  the  missionaries  them¬ 
selves  was  sensibly  lessening,  the  opposition  to 
Christian  schools  and  services  continued  to  grow 
and  receive  practical  expression.  What  the  Doctor 
had  anticipated  was  realized.  An  Alliance  School 
for  boys  was  established  in  Tiberias,  and  the  greater 
number  of  Jewish  pupils  were  swept  into  its  class¬ 
rooms.  Moslems  and  Catholics  were  also  more 
vigilant,  and  more  drastic  in  their  treatment  of  those 
whc  disobeyed  orders.  Attendances  depended  on 
incidental  factors  beyond  the  control  of  the  teachers. 
If  an  anti-Christian  mood  seized  the  community 
the  benches  reflected  its  intensity.  If  some  high 
Moslem  dignitary  visited  the  Baths  he  would  hear 
of  the  educational  effort  of  the  Christians  and  ban 
it.  If  a  Government  or  ecclesiastical  official  fell 
ill  and  was  successfully  treated  by  the  Doctor 
the  opposition  waned,  so  that  sometimes  the 
teachers  were  tempted  to  pray  that  certain  men 
might  have  severe  indigestion  or  break  their  legs. 
Indeed,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  presence  of  the 
hospital  and  the  influence  of  the  Doctor  it  would 
have  gone  hard  with  the  educational  work. 


The  Mission  Hospital  and  Houses  from  the  Lake 


A  Sudden  Storm  on  the  Lake 
The  waves  dashing  over  the  Mission  wall  into  the  garden 


Women  Patients  Villager  and  Bedouin  at  the  Hospital 


LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS 


177 


Although  the  difficulties  were  heartbreaking 
the  schools  were  kept  up  to  the  highest  pitch  of 
efficiency,  and  many  parents,  recognizing  their 
superior  influence,  persisted  in  taking  advantage 
of  them.  A  few  of  the  boys  passed  on  for  higher 
education  to  Sidon,  and  their  careers  there  were 
the  best  testimony  to  the  excellence  of  the  train¬ 
ing  they  had  received.  Some  of  these  pupils  were 
Christian  in  everything  but  name.  One  or  two, 
indeed,  were  baptized  after  leaving  Tiberias.  The 
case  of  a  Moslem  lad  was  typical.  Had  he  declared 
himself  a  Christian  in  Tiberias  he  would  have  been 
quickly  put  out  of  the  way  ;  the  ceremony  was 
delayed  until  he  was  out  of  Palestine,  and  then  he 
was  sent  to  Egypt.  Such  cases  were,  naturally, 
not  mentioned  in  the  official  reports  sent  to 
Scotland. 

The  evening  classes  were  well  attended  by 
Jewish,  Moslem,  and  Christian  lads.  One  winter 
a  Hebrew  school  was  attempted  for  the  sake  of 
the  Jewish  boys  who  required  to  know  the  language 
and  read  the  Torah  before  a  certain  age.  Mr. 
Soutar  could  have  had  an  attendance  of  fifty,  but 
fearing  to  excite  the  opposition  of  the  rabbis  he 
restricted  the  number  to  twenty.  The  class  was 
held  in  the  hospital.  One  night  two  learned  Jews 
stalked  in  and  eyed  the  gathering,  and  next  day  a 
kherem  was  out.  The  students  sent  word  that 
they  would  be  unable  to  come  to  the  hospital  again, 
but  if  the  class  were  held  in  the  school  they  would 
attend.  This  was  arranged.  Then  the  teacher, 
a  young  Jewish  rabbi  who  had  attended  the  even¬ 
ing  classes,  was  summoned  before  the  Beth-din  or 


178 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


House  of  Judgment,  and  threatened  with  the  loss 
of  his  khalukah  if  he  persisted  in  his  course.  A 
man  of  independent  character,  he  refused  to  be 
intimidated,  and  lost  his  dole.  Not  a  few  of  the 
people,  and  even  some  of  the  rabbis,  regarded  this 
official  action  as  harsh,  and  uncalled-for  in  the 
circumstances. 

The  Girls’  School  had  developed  into  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  successful  in  the  country.  Early 
marriages  continually  drained  it  of  the  elder  girls, 
but  there  was  compensation  for  this  in  the  appear¬ 
ance  of  daughters  of  the  earlier  pupils,  who  were 
eager  for  their  children  to  obtain  the  same  advan¬ 
tages  which  they  had  enjoyed.  These  newcomers, 
so  bright  and  trustful,  offered  a  strong  contrast  to 
others  who  were  strangers  to  the  school.  Some  of 
the  latter  had  been  taught  in  their  homes  to  fear 
the  name  of  Jesus,  and  when  they  came  to  utter 
it  in  their  classes  they  turned  pale  and  trembled. 

Many  of  the  scholars  were  secret  disciples. 
One,  a  sweet  and  refined  girl  of  gentle  and  modest 
manners,  had  been  taught  by  her  parents  to  be  an 
expert  dancer.  Whenever  they  had  guests  her 
father  ordered  her  to  appear  and  entertain  them. 
She  disliked  the  performances,  and  often  fled  and 
hid  with  her  teachers  in  order  to  escape  the  evil 
surroundings  of  her  home.  Another  confessed  to 
her  mother  that  she  was  a  Christian,  and  was  re¬ 
moved  and  severely  punished. 

Similar  cases  occurred  from  time  to  time,  and  an 
agitation  arose  in  favour  of  the  establishment  of  an 
Alliance  School  for  Girls.  The  movement  was 
successful,  and  when  the  School  was  opened  all  but 


LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS 


179 


three  of  the  eighty  little  Jewesses  vanished  from 
the  Mission  institution,  the  character  of  which  was 
completely  altered.  The  native  mistress  was  heart¬ 
broken  and  could  scarcely  speak  for  tears.  But 
new  and  better  premises  were  secured,  and  the 
curriculum  was  revised  and  improved,  and  once 
more  parents  were  found  who  valued  the  education 
and  influence  of  the  school,  and  risked  much  to  have 
their  daughters  taught  in  it. 

The  evangelistic  work  was  carried  on  with  a 
faith  and  resolution  which  nothing  could  daunt. 
“  Well/5  said  an  American  visitor,  “  and  how 
many  conversions  have  you  per  week,  per  month, 
per  year  ?  And  would  you  mind  showing  me  the 
latest  figures  ?  ”  For  such  an  attitude  the  Doctor 
had  only  scorn.  “  Many  conversions — of  a  kind — 
could  be  got  for  £5  a  head,”  he  said,  “  but  it  is  a 
tiling  to  be  thankful  for  that  missionaries  do  not 
countenance  such  a  policy.  Conversions  may  be 
few,  but  the  best  results  are  not  those  that  can  be 
put  down  in  statistics.” 

One  of  the  best  adjuncts  of  the  work  was  the 
Bible  Depot,  which  had  the  largest  sale  of  Bibles 
and  Christian  literature  in  the  country  outside  of 
Jerusalem.  One- third  of  the  total  issue  was  in 
Hebrew,  the  remainder  in  English,  French,  German, 
Arabic,  Greek  (modern),  Russian,  Judeo-German, 
and  Judeo-Polish.  The  Russian  portions  were  dis¬ 
posed  of  amongst  the  Russian  pilgrims  who  visited 
Tiberias  each  spring.  Mr.  Cohen,  the  col¬ 
porteur,  was  now  acting  as  evangelist  in  the  place 
of  Mr.  Goldenberg,  who  had  followed  Mr.  Christie 
to  Aleppo,  and  was  at  the  same  time,  through  the 


180 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


kindness  of  two  Edinburgh  ladies,  attending  the 
American  Theological  Seminary  in  the  Lebanon, 
where  he  proved  a  diligent  and  able  student.  The 
old  feeling  against  him  had  largely  disappeared, 
for,  with  all  their  bigotry,  the  Jews  respect  character 
and  courage  ;  and  he  was  the  only  Jew  within  the 
experience  of  the  missionaries  who  got  on  equally 
well  with  all  classes  in  the  community.  Even  his 
father,  formerly  so  bitter,  had  softened  towards 
him.  He  was  a  patient  in  Safed  hospital,  and 
perhaps  this  was  a  way  of  showing  his  gratitude  for 
all  Dr.  Wilson’s  care  and  attention. 

The  same  lights  and  shadows  passed  over  the 
work  at  Safed.  At  one  time  Dr.  Wilson  had  the 
unpleasant  experience  of  being  mobbed  by  Jews  of 
the  baser  sort,  reprimanded  by  the  Moslem  officials, 
and  cursed  by  the  Christians,  but  there  was  also 
much  to  encourage  him.  Of  his  consultations, 
which  reached  1400  per  annum,  1000  were  Jewish. 
His  medical  skill  smoothed  the  situation  for  Mr. 
Thomson,  whose  linguistic  knowledge  and  rab¬ 
binical  lore  won  him  a  high  position  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Jews.  But  the  difficulties  were  immense. 
The  Girls’  School,  under  Mrs.  Thomson’s  charge, 
was  banned  by  Moslems  and  Jews  alike.  An  order 
that  no  Moslem  girl  should  attend  was  rigorously 
enforced  for  a  time,  a  soldier  standing  at  the  door 
and  taking  down  the  names  of  those  who  put  in  an 
appearance.  The  Jewish  girls  were  watched  and 
intercepted  ;  some  arrived  at  the  school  two  hours 
ahead  of  the  time  ;  others  dodged  the  sentinels, 
and  slipped  unobserved  into  the  playground. 
Parents  were  fined  and  imprisoned.  Even  the 


LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS 


181 


baker  was  afraid  to  deliver  the  daily  bread.  One 
girl  was  bastinadoed  but,  with  unshaken  courage, 
returned  to  school  next  day.  Nothing  could  break 
their  spirits.  The  majority  were  poor  and 
wretchedly  clad,  yet  on  the  cold  winter  mornings 
they  would  brave  the  rain  and  the  snow  and  arrive 
in  their  thin  dresses  soaked  to  the  skin,  and  had 
to  be  dried  one  by  one  at  the  fire.  It  was  Safed 
missionaries  especially  who  were  grateful  for  the 
clothing  sent  out  year  by  year  by  the  ladies  in 
Scotland  ;  it  enabled  them  to  keep  the  children 
warm,  and  it  saved  many  a  young  life. 

The  evening  school  experienced  the  same 
adventurous  fortune.  Guards  prowled  round  the 
building  and  sought  to  prevent  the  lads  from 
entering,  but  they  managed  to  attend.  Dis¬ 
appointment  was  expressed  in  Scotland  when  it 
was  stated  in  the  annual  report  that  twenty-nine 
out  of  the  sixty-six  students  had  left  Safed,  but 
this  was  in  reality  a  tribute  to  the  influence  of  the 
school.  It  indicated  that  these  young  men  had  been 
so  affected  by  the  teaching  they  had  received  that 
they  had  determined  to  leave  the  cramped  sur¬ 
roundings  where  they  were  prisoners  of  tradition 
and  ate  the  bread  of  idleness  and  go  out  into  the 
wider  world  and  live  a  life  of  religious  freedom. 
Many  emigrated  to  America,  others  made 
their  way  to  the  Transvaal ;  one  went  to 
London,  where  he  was  baptized  ;  another  found  a 
situation  in  Edinburgh,  and  sent  out  part  of  his 
first  wages  as  a  contribution  towards  the  evan¬ 
gelist’s  salary.  If  they  had  remained  they  would 
have  been  in  the  same  predicament  as  Paul  at 


182 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Damascus  ;  like  him,  though  in  a  less  dramatic 
way,  they  chose  to  escape  from  the  machinations 
of  the  rabbis. 

With  all  this  resistance  to  the  work  it  was 
curious  how  friendly  the  personal  relations  of  the 
officials  and  the  missionaries  were.  The  latter 
were  invited  to  all  functions  given  by  the  Governor. 
At  one  dinner  there  were  present  several  Moslems, 
a  Greek  Christian,  an  American,  a  Protestant 
Syrian,  two  Greek  Church  Syrians,  two  Roman 
Catholics,  a  Christian  Jew,  a  Rationalist  Jew,  an 
English  Episcopalian,  and  a  Scots  Presbyterian. 

After  several  years’  service  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Thom¬ 
son  retired,  for  health  reasons,  and  Miss  Elizabeth 
Jones  of  Glasgow  was  appointed  to  succeed  Mrs. 
Thomson  as  honorary  superintendent  of  the  Girls’ 
School.  Adding  a  bright  and  loving  disposition 
to  her  intellectual  qualities,  she  made  an  ideal 
mother-mistress  for  the  girls,  and  the  school  con¬ 
tinued  to  progress.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the 
various  local  Ladies’  Societies  in  Scotland,  which 
helped  the  Jewish  Mission  work  of  the  Church  by 
providing  the  teaching  staff  in  the  Girls’  Schools, 
were  amalgamated  as  the  Women’s  Jewish  Mis¬ 
sionary  Association.  The  ladies  of  this  Com¬ 
mittee  were  as  heroic  a  band  as  the  workers  in  the 
field  ;  they  were  constantly  facing,  in  Palestine 
and  elsewhere,  what  were  dark,  difficult,  and 
discouraging  situations,  but  they  held  hopefully 
on,  resolute  and  resourceful,  and  thankful  for  the 
slightest  indications  of  increasing  interest  and 
success. 

On  his  next  furlough  Dr.  Torrance  proceeded 


LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS 


183 


to  New  York  as  the  representative  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee  Mission  at  the  International  Missionary 
Conference,  where,  announcing  himself  as  the  first 
medical  missionary  on  the  shores  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  he  said,  with  justifiable  pride,  “  I  have  the 
honour  of  having  a  model  missionary  hospital,  and  I 
also  have  the  honour  to  labour  for  a  Committee  who 
have  never  refused  one  request  I  have  made.”  He 
spoke  again  at  the  General  Assembly,  “  giving  his 
audience,”  says  the  report  of  the  proceedings,  “  a 
graphic  description  of  the  work  of  the  Mission, 
to  which  they  listened  with  rapt  attention.  It  is 
impossible  to  give  the  reader  any  impression  of  the 
freshness  and  vivacity  with  which  he  presented  the 
story.”  He  also  dwelt  with  great  frankness  on  the 
disappointments  connected  with  the  work,  and 
concluded  with  an  emphatic  corroboration  of  what 
a  previous  speaker  had  said  as  to  the  need  of  some 
kind  of  industrial  institution  for  those  who  were  kept 
back  from  the  Christian  faith  through  fear  of  for¬ 
feiting  their  means  of  subsistence. 

The  representations  on  the  latter  point  at  last 
bore  fruit.  An  inquiry  was  set  on  foot  by  the 
Jewish  Mission  Committee,  who  ascertained  the 
views  of  eight  different  Churches  and  Societies 
working  amongst  Jews.  The  opinion  was  practi¬ 
cally  unanimous  in  favour  of  such  work,  and  it  was 
significant  that  those  who  had  already  experienced 
its  value  were  strongest  in  their  commendation. 
A  few  replies  were  qualified,  but  this  was  because 
in  the  localities  in  which  the  missionaries  were 
stationed,  such  as  Budapest,  London,  and  Liver¬ 
pool,  no  necessity  existed  for  assisting  converts  ; 


184 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


they  had  not,  as  a  rule,  to  face  economic  persecu¬ 
tion,  and  could  in  any  case  find  ways  of  earning  a 
livelihood.  The  Committee,  therefore,  felt  justified 
in  considering  the  proposal  as  desirable  and 
practicable,  and  the  General  Assembly  gave  them 
authority  to  proceed. 

Simultaneously  with  the  Union  of  the  Free 
Church  with  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  in 
1900,  an  important  development  took  place  in  the 
Palestinian  field.  In  Hebron,  a  city  holy  alike  to 
Jews  and  Moslems,  where  Abraham  and  Sarah, 
Isaac  and  Rebekah,  Jacob  and  Leah  are  said  to  lie 
buried  beneath  the  Moslem  mosque  which  covers 
the  cave  of  Machpelah,  the  Mildmay  Mission 
had  been  carrying  on  work  among  both  peoples, 
their  agent  being  Dr.  Paterson,  who  had  previously 
been  stationed  at  Aden,  Southern  Arabia,  a  mission 
of  the  Free  Church.  He  was  a  man  singularly 
gifted,  had  great  force  of  character  and  an  intimate 
knowledge  of  Arabic,  and  had  become  a  powerful 
influence  over  a  wide  region.  Mr.  John  Martineau,  a 
member  of  the  Church  of  England,  was  so  interested 
in  the  work  he  was  doing,  that  he  offered  him 
£5300  for  the  erection  of  a  hospital  and  its  equip¬ 
ment.  The  Mildmay  Mission  did  not  see  its  way 
to  accept  the  increased  responsibility,  and  Dr. 
Paterson  proposed  that  the  United  Free  Church 
should  take  over  the  whole  work.  To  this  the  donor 
agreed,  and  the  offer  was  accepted  by  the  Church. 
The  arrangement  added  a  picturesque  but  extremely 
difficult  sphere  to  the  stations  of  the  Jewish  Mission 
Committee.  It  was  too  far  south  to  be  related 
in  any  way  to  the  Galilee  Mission,  but  Dr.  Torrance 


TERRIBLE  WEEKS 


185 


frequently  visited  it  and  exchanged  notes  with 
Dr.  Paterson,  for  whose  great  qualities  he  had  the 
most  unqualified  admiration. 


IV.  TERRIBLE  WEEKS 
1902 

“  Among  both  the  Jews  and  Moslems,’'  wrote  Mr. 
Soutar  in  the  early  part  of  1902,  “  there  is  unusual 
unrest  as  if  some  convulsion  or  other  event  were 
expected.  The  American  missionaries  expect  an 
outbreak  of  Moslem  fanaticism  against  the  Chris¬ 
tians.  That  this  will  come  sooner  or  later  I  believe, 
but  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  it  is  at  hand. 
Whatever  happens  may  God  enable  us  to  do  or  to 
suffer  His  will.” 

This  was  a  curious  premonition,  for  not  many 
months  later,  Tiberias  experienced  a  convulsion 
the  effects  of  which  were  as  terrible  as  those  of  the 
great  earthquake  in  1837. 

Cholera  was  endemic  over  a  wide  area  of  the 
East,  its  existence  being  due  to  the  insanitary  state 
of  the  houses  and  villages,  and  to  the  pilgrimages 
to  Mecca,  which  carried  the  disease  germs  far  and 
wide.  After  lurking  for  some  years  in  Asia  Minor, 
Damascus  and  the  Hauran  were  affected,  but  the 
authorities  in  Palestine  imposed  a  military  quaran¬ 
tine  of  so  strict  a  character  that  the  country  was 
saved  from  infection.  This  was  all  that  was  con¬ 
sidered  necessary ;  it  was  never  realized  that  the 


186 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


most  effective  precaution  was  to  keep  the  domestic 
conditions  clean  and  sweet. 

The  fear  of  a  visitation  hung  over  the  Doctor 
like  a  perpetual  menace  ;  he  was  for  ever  at  the 
officials  warning  them  of  the  possibility,  and  urging 
them  to  take  up  the  matter  of  public  hygiene. 
They  shrugged  their  shoulders.  “It  is  in  God’s 
hands,”  they  said. 

The  disease  invaded  Palestine  from  Egypt. 
It  appeared  at  Gaza  in  September,  but  the  authori¬ 
ties  refused  to  acknowledge  its  existence,  called  it 
by  other  names,  and  allowed  people  to  die  at 
the  rate  of  thirty  per  day.  Some  Arabs  of  the 
district  proceeding  to  Lydd  to  work  at  the  olive 
harvest  carried  the  germs  with  them.  When  cases 
occurred  there,  the  inhabitants  hid  the  fact,  and  it 
raged  unchecked.  Hebron  became  affected  and 
then  Jaffa. 

Dr.  Torrance  was  anxious  and  impatient  to  be 
doing  something,  but  the  local  officials  continued 
apathetic.  From  the  roof  of  his  house  he  looked 
down  on  the  town,  a  veritable  ghetto,  and  thought 
of  what  would  happen  if  the  worst  came. 

The  worst  did  come  suddenly  and  violently. 
On  24th  October  he  was  called  out  to  a  case,  and 
diagnosed  cholera.  He  notified  the  Government, 
and  a  guard  was  stationed  round  the  house.  It  was 
too  late.  Other  cases  occurred,  and  panic  seized 
the  people.  The  Government  went  to  pieces. 
Its  only  resource  was  the  soldiery,  and  these  were 
placed  outside  the  walls  to  act  as  a  cordon.  In 
tiieir  wild  excitement  the  people  endeavoured  to 
break  through,  and  were  driven  back  and  bottled 


TERRIBLE  WEEKS 


187 


up.  They  began  to  die  like  flies  at  the  blast  of 
winter.  Strong  men  and  women  succumbed  in  a 
few  hours.  The  bodies  lay  in  the  houses  until 
the  neighbours  were  compelled  by  the  stench  to 
remove  them.  For  a  time  they  were  thrown  out¬ 
side  the  walls  and  left  unburied. 

The  Doctor  stopped  the  clinic  and  closed  the 
hospital,  retaining,  however,  the  patients  already 
there,  and  devoted  himself  day  and  night  to  the 
work  of  relief.  His  figure,  dressed  in  white  overall, 
was  seen  everywhere  ;  he  visited  the  stricken, 
succoured  the  destitute,  advised  the  officials  on 
the  measures  to  be  taken.  Mr.  Soutar  was  at  Safed, 
and  feeling  it  to  be  his  duty  to  be  with  his  colleague, 
he  came  down  with  his  family.  The  Doctor,  fear¬ 
ing  trouble  with  the  cordon  at  Magdala,  went  out 
there  to  meet  him.  When  Mr.  Soutar  approached, 
the  soldiers  raised  their  rifles  and  threatened  to 
shoot  if  he  came  nearer.  “  If  you  do,”  ominously 
remarked  the  Doctor,  lifting  his  own  gun,  “  I  also 
will  shoot.”  It  took  some  time  to  convince  them 
that  their  real  duty  was  to  prevent  affected  people 
from  leaving  instead  of  keeping  an  unaffected 
individual  from  entering. 

Mr.  Soutar  found  that  the  Doctor  was  working 
at  high  pressure.  “  It  would  be  difficult,”  he 
wrote,  “  to  praise  his  work  too  highly.  If  only  he 
were  backed  up  by  the  Government,  there  would 
be  hope  of  checking  the  disease.” 

But  the  Government  was  hopeless.  To  disin¬ 
fect  the  town  it  procured  a  single  gallon  of  crude 
carbolic  !  Telling  the  Governor  that  the  Lake 
water  was  the  greatest  source  of  infection,  the 


188 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Doctor  appealed  to  him  to  place  a  guard  along  the 
beach.  The  guard  was  set,  but  in  a  few  hours 
had  disappeared.  Finding  a  gun,  the  Doctor  took 
possession  of  it  and  carried  it  off.  On  another 
occasion  he  discovered  the  soldiers  allowing  women 
to  draw  water,  because  the  latter  had  given  them 
bakhshish  in  the  shape  of  cigarettes.  Again  he 
noticed  some  figures  at  a  distance  surreptitiously 
taking  water,  and  told  a  guard  to  fire  his  gun  to 
warn  them.  Some  time  afterwards  a  formal  com¬ 
munication  came  from  the  military  headquarters 
at  Acre,  inquiring  if  he  had  ordered  the  soldier 
to  fire.  His  reply  was,  “  Certainly.  What  was  the 
gun  for  ?  ” 

At  last  he  selected  a  part  of  the  shore  where  the 
water  was  clear  and  unpolluted.  “  Let  this  be  the 
spot,”  he  said,  “  where  the  people  draw  their 
supplies,  and  let  it  be  strictly  guarded.”  A  guard 
was  requisitioned  and  given  injunctions  to  prevent 
the  water  being  contaminated.  Shortly  afterwards 
the  Doctor  went  to  the  place  and  found  no  guard. 
At  that  moment  a  woman  arrived  with  a  jar  on  her 
shoulder  to  draw  water.  Under  her  arm  she  carried 
the  clothes  of  a  man  who  had  just  died  of  cholera 
which  she  was  going  to  wash  at  the  same  spot. 
The  Doctor  was  so  vexed  that  he  marched  her  off 
to  the  Governor  and  related  the  circumstance  and 
showed  him  the  clothes.  There  was  no  prison  for 
women,  and,  five  minutes  afterwards,  she  was  set 
free  without  even  a  word  of  reprimand. 

With  such  minds  it  was  impossible  to  deal. 
x\long  with  Mr.  Soutar  the  Doctor  organized  a 
public  distribution  of  boiled  water.  Two  large 


TERRIBLE  WEEKS 


189 


boilers  in  which  tea  was  made  for  Russian  pilgrims 
were  secured  and  erected  in  front  of  the  hospitals, 
and  here  the  poor  of  the  town  obtained  free  supplies. 
Yet  so  ignorant  and  fatalistic  were  some  of  the 
Moslems  that  they  continued  to  drink  the  foul 
water  and  to  die.  By  and  by  the  available  fuel 
ran  out.  The  Governor  telegraphed  to  head¬ 
quarters  at  Acre,  and  the  Doctor  to  various  consuls 
for  more,  but  none  arrived,  and  after  the  olive  trees 
on  the  Mission  grounds  had  been  cut  down  and 
used,  the  provision  of  pure  water  ceased.  A 
supply  of  medicines  for  the  hospital  was  held  up 
at  the  coast,  and  the  only  reply  the  Doctor  received 
to  his  representations  was  that  “  the  duties  of  a 
consul-general  were  not  those  of  a  forwarding 
agent.”  It  was  not  until  the  epidemic  was  over 
that  they  appeared. 

On  the  Doctor’s  advice  the  cordon  was  extended, 
and  the  people  allowed  to  camp  on  the  fields  and 
hillsides  where  there  were  springs.  Only  a  few 
cases  of  cholera  occurred  there,  but  a  virulent  form 
of  malaria  prevailed. 

In  the  second  week  a  German  from  Haifa,  who 
had  been  the  contractor  for  the  hospital,  was  taken 
ill.  The  Doctor  fought  for  his  life,  but  he  died 
twenty-four  hours  after  he  was  attacked.  That 
day  Mrs.  Torrance  wrote  to  Miss  Vartan  at 
Nazareth  :  “  We  are  well  and  are  leaving  ourselves 
in  God’s  hands.”  Finishing  the  note,  she  went  to 
the  roof  of  the  house  and  watched  for  her  husband’s 
return  from  the  funeral  of  the  German.  He  saw 
her  standing  there  silhouetted,  against  the  sunset 
light.  She  came  to  meet  him.  “  David,”  she 


190 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

said  quietly,  “  I  think  I  must  have  got  it.”  He 
took  her  in  his  arms  and  carried  her  up  to  her 
room.  A  new  nurse,  Miss  Johnstone,  had  managed 
to  enter  the  town  before  the  cordon  was  estab¬ 
lished,  and  the  Doctor  and  she  nursed  the 
patient.  Nothing  that  skill  and  thought  and 
tenderness  could  do  was  left  undone,  but  after 
a  day  s  suffering  she  died,  and  was  laid  to  rest 
at  sunset  in  the  little  corner  cemetery.  She  was 
the  only  victim  in  the  Mission  compound,  and  the 

only  one  throughout  the  epidemic  who  was  buried 
in  a  coffin. 

ilow  she  had  been  infected  was  a  mystery. 
Brave  and  busy  she  had  been,  cheering  and  en¬ 
couraging  and  advising  every  one  about  her.  She 
had  attended  to  the  disinfection  of  the  Doctor’s 
clothes,  and  was  scrupulously  careful  to  carry  out 
the  precautions  he  enjoined.  His  own  view  was 
that  the  infection  was  due  to  the  thoughtlessness  of 
the  servants.  One  of  the  men  had  left  to  nurse 
his  wife,  who  had  taken  the  disease,  and,  coming 
bacK  co  the  house  for  food,  another  servant  supplied 
him  with  rice  in  a  pot  which  he  carried  away  and 
later  returned.  On  hearing  of  this,  Mrs.  Torrance 
took  the  pot  and  scoured  it  thoroughly  with  her  own 

hands,  and  in  the  process  had  apparentlv  been 
infected. 

To  the  Doctor,  who  had  already  known  so  much 
sorrow,  the  blow  was  a  severe  one,  but  he  bore  it 
with  fortitude  for  the  sake  of  the  keen  eyes  that 
were  watching  him.  There  had  been  a  pitiful 
revelation  of  weakness  and  cowardice  amongst  the 
populace,  especially  amongst  the  Moslems,  for  many 


TERRIBLE  WEEKS 


101 


of  the  Jews  exhibited  a  noble  devotion  and  courage, 
and  he  felt  that  Christianity  was  on  its  trial.  4 4  The 
whole  community,  Jews,  Moslems,  and  Christians,” 
wrote  Mr.  Soutar,  “  confess  that  there  must  be 
something  worth  having  in  a  religion  which  enables 
one  to  bear  so  manfully  and  cheerfully  so  heavy  a 
burden.” 

Tiberias  remained  completely  isolated,  the  only 
means  of  communication  allowed  with  the  out¬ 
side  world  being  the  telegraphic  message,  and  even 
that  was  a  tedious  process.  Governors  of  other 
towns  refused  to  have  dealings  with  the  town  in 
any  way  whatever.  No  provisions  entered,  and 
food  began  to  be  at  famine  prices.  It  was  abso¬ 
lutely  necessary  for  the  missionaries  to  obtain 
supplies,  and  letters  were  written  to  the  friends  at 
Nazareth,  given  into  a  trusty  hand,  and  smuggled 
through  the  cordon  at  night.  They  were  left 
secretly  and  silently  on  the  outskirts  of  Nazareth, 
the  messenger  slipping  back  again  without  coming 
into  contact  with  anyone.  In  this  way  the  situa¬ 
tion  was  made  known  and  help  secured.  The 
Vartans  also  made  arrangements  to  pitch  quar¬ 
antine  tents  on  the  hills  in  case  Mrs.  Soutar  and 
her  five  children  were  sent  out  of  the  doomed 
town. 

The  people  began  to  starve,  and  an  appeal  for 
assistance  was  telegraphed  to  Scotland  ;  it  was 
promptly  responded  to,  and  the  money  which  was 
cabled  back  did  much  to  relieve  the  hunger  and 
distress  for  the  destitute  widows  and  orphans. 

The  epidemic  ceased  as  suddenly  and  mysteri¬ 
ously  as  it  had  come.  In  the  course  of  a  month  the 


192 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


town  had  literally  been  decimated,  600  out  of  the 
6000  inhabitants  having  died,  while  1400  succumbed 
in  the  district  around.  There  was  scarcely  a 
family  which  had  not  lost  one  or  more  members  of 
its  circle.  A  few  of  the  infected  escaped  to  Safed, 
but  the  disease  did  not  spread  in  that  lofty  town. 
It  travelled  into  Northern  Syria,  attacked  Damascus 
and  Aleppo,  and  swept  off  a  large  proportion  of 
the  populations. 

“  During  these  trying  weeks,”  wrote  Mr. 
Soutar,  “  the  Doctor  and  his  native  assistant 
showed  untiring  devotion  and  rendered  magnificent 
service.  ...  It  is  not  Torrance's  way  to  speak  or 
write  about  his  work.  It  was  done  as  a  matter 
of  course,  quietly,  effectively,  without  self-glorifica¬ 
tion.  One  feels  angry  sometimes  as  one  reads  of 
highly  coloured  reports  of  the  work  done  in  other 
places,  knowing  that  not  a  tenth  part  of  what  is 
done  in  Tiberias  is  ever  actually  represented  to  the 
Church.”  Mr.  Soutar  himself  was  the  right  hand 
of  the  Doctor  throughout  and  a  tower  of  strength 
and  comfort.  The  morale  of  the  rest  of  the  staff 
was  perfect  ;  they  went  about  their  duties  with  a 
quiet,  cool  courage,  “  which  has  left,”  wrote  the 
Doctor,  a  lasting  impression  on  the  minds  and 
hearts  of  the  people.” 

Even  the  Mission  children  rose  to  the  occasion. 
While  the  town  was  in  a  frenzy  of  excitement  and 
fear  the  little  ones  played  quietly  in  the  garden 
facing  the  Lake,  not  unconscious  of  the  grim 
tragedy  going  on  so  near,  but  trusting  in  the  love 
and  care  encompassing  their  lives. 


PERSONALITIES  193 


V.  PERSONALITIES 
1903-1908 

After  the  strain  of  this  experience  the  Doctor 
went  on  furlough,  and  returned  with  a  brilliant 
young  graduate  of  Edinburgh  University,  Dr. 
Ernest  Muir,  who  had  volunteered  to  help  him 
for  at  least  a  year.  Ere  the  year  was  up  he  was 
invalided  home,  and  the  Doctor  fell  back  on  a 
native  assistant.1 

Another  disappointment  was  the  retiral  of  Dr. 
Wilson  from  Safed  after  a  devoted  service  of  twelve 
years.  But  a  blow  which  staggered  the  Doctor 
was  the  death  of  Mr.  Soutar  in  December  1905. 
He  had  been  a  beloved  colleague  upon  whose 
quiet  courage,  calm  strength,  sane  judgment,  and 
chivalrous  heart  he  had  continually  leaned.  By 
his  writings  Mr.  Soutar  had  made  the  various 
aspects  of  the  Mission  well  known  to  the  Church 
in  Scotland,  and  his  loss  was  a  serious  set-back. 
His  successor  was  the  Rev.  Thomas  Steele,  M.A., 
B.D.,  another  distinguished  student  of  Glasgow 
College.  On  being  appointed,  a  well-known 
minister  of  the  Church  said  to  him,  “  So  you  are 
going  out  to  that  vile  spot  Tiberias.  Why,  it  is  no 
fit  place  for  any  man  to  live.,,  “  It  was  rather  hard 
on  me,”  remarked  Mr.  Steele,  “  seeing  I  was  taking 
out  a  young  wife.  But  Dr.  Torrance  has  been 

1  Dr.  Muir  entered  the  Foreign  Mission  service  of  the  Church  and 
gained  a  reputation  in  India  for  his  investigations  into  the  causation 
and  treatment  of  leprosy. 

13 


194 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


there  for  twenty-five  years,  and  he  and  others  are 
labouring  to  make  the  place  less  vile.  Why  should 
not  I  do  the  same  ?  ”  When  he  arrived  at  Tiberias 
in  1907  with  Dr.  Torrance,  who  had  been  again  on 
furlough,  he  wrote  :  “  What  impressed  me  most 
of  all  was  the  eagerness  of  the  people  to  see  Dr. 
Torrance  back.  I  have  since  learned  of  his  extra¬ 
ordinary  reputation.  A  Jew  said  to  me,  ‘  All 
Tiberias  is  glad  now  that  the  Doctor  is  here.’  ” 

A  year  later  Mr.  Steele  was  invalided  home. 
Then  followed  an  interregnum  of  some  years 
during  which  Dr.  Torrance  bore  the  whole  admini¬ 
strative  burden  of  the  Mission  on  his  shoulders. 
He  prayed  for  a  clerical  colleague — not  necessarily  a 
clever  preacher,  but  a  man  full  of  Christian  love 
and  faith  and  sanctified  common  sense  who  would 
take  a  special  interest  in  the  schools. 

He  was  not,  however,  without  competent  sub¬ 
ordinate  help.  “  It  would  be  difficult,”  he  wrote, 
“  to  find  a  more  capable,  whole-hearted,  or  happier 
staff.”  Amongst  them  also,  unfortunately,  there 
was  a  lack  of  continuity.  Miss  Johnston,  the  experi¬ 
enced  matron,  retired  after  seven  years’  service, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Miss  Major,  a  fully  qualified 
nurse  from  a  Liverpool  Infirmary,  who  was  the 
personification  of  energy,  capability,  and  good 
sense.  Miss  Jones,  the  honorary  superintendent 
of  the  Girls’  School,  Safed,  had  now  the  assistance 
of  Miss  Gwladys  Jones,  and  both,  entering  heart 
and  soul  into  the  work,  made  the  school  renowned 
throughout  Palestine.  The  headmistress  of  the 
Girls’  School  at  Tiberias  was  Miss  Marie  Bleiker,  a 
sister  of  Nurse  Frieda  of  the  hospital. 


PERSONALITIES 


195 


Frieda  Bleiker  was  a  Swiss  girl.  She  had  acted 
for  a  time  as  assistant  housekeeper,  and  after  pro¬ 
bation  as  a  nurse  had  gone  to  Germany  for  more 
complete  training.  On  her  return  she  was  placed 
in  charge  of  the  out-patient  department.  Quiet, 
unobtrusive,  efficient,  and  thorough,  she  won  the 
confidence  of  the  Doctor  to  such  an  extent 
that  he  had  no  hesitation  in  leaving  her  in  full 
control.  He  was  never  tired  of  praising  her 
ability.  She  is  doing  splendid  work,”  he  wrote* 
“  She  has  won  the  confidence  and  affection  of  the 
patients,  young  and  old,  whose  wounds  and  sores 
and  eyes  she  dresses  and  attends  to  skilfully  and 
carefully;  to  her  the  little  children  with  eye 
troubles  come  most  willingly  of  their  own  accord  and 
frequently  endure  painful  treatment  most  bravely 
and  uncomplainingly.  She  knows  all  the  languages, 
and  is  very  tactful  in  commending  the  Saviour 
to  these  people.  She  attends  and  dresses  patients 
in  their  own  homes.  She  is  a  fine,  steady, 
methodical  worker,  ready  for  all  emergencies  in 

any  department,  and  is  indeed  our  4  right  hand 
man/  ” 

The  native  probationers,  who  varied  in  number 
from  four  to  six,  formed  a  band  of  most  useful 
workers.  They  came  from  various  parts  of  Syria 
and  Armenia,  and  had  the  clear  olive  skin,  the  re¬ 
fined  gentle  appearance,  and  the  intelligent  ex¬ 
pression  which  characterize  the  girls  of  these 
regions.  All  were  keen  in  their  work  and  con¬ 
scientious  in  discharging  their  duties.  On  com¬ 
pleting  their  training  they  had  no  difficulty  in 
securing  responsible  and  remunerative  employ- 


196 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


ment  elsewhere,  their  residence  in  Tiberias  Hospital 
being  sufficient  guarantee  of  their  worth. 

James  Cohen,  still  the  only  fruit  of  the  Mission 
publicly  acknowledged,  had  grown  from  strength 
to  strength,  and  become  indispensable  to  the 
Doctor.  In  addition  to  his  general  work  as  evan¬ 
gelist  he  taught  the  evening  classes  and  conducted 
the  Arabic  service.  He  had  also  continued  in 
charge  of  the  Bible  Depot,  where  he  spent  several 
hours  each  day,  and  acted  as  colporteur,  visiting 
the  Jewish  colonies,  and  the  camps  of  Russian 
pilgrims  who  annually  invaded  Galilee.  This 
work  continued  to  be  one  of  the  most  important 
activities  of  the  Mission.  In  1906  Cohen  esti¬ 
mated  that  he  had  sold  or  given  away  about  five 
thousand  copies  of  the  Scriptures  in  twelve  different 
languages  during  the  eleven  years  of  his  connection 
with  the  book-room.  His  experience  proved  that 
there  was  nothing  like  the  Bible  for  opening  the 
minds  of  men  and  women  to  the  truth.  In  his 
eyes  it  wrought  wonders,  softening  the  hearts  of 
the  hardest  Jews,  and  changing  their  views  regard¬ 
ing  religion.  “  What  is  that  key  hanging  round 
your  neck  ?  ”  he  asked  lightly  of  a  young  Jew.  “I 
suppose  it  is  the  key  of  your  treasury  ?  ”  “  Yes,” 

was  the  reply ;  “it  is  the  key  of  the  box  in  which 
I  keep  the  New  Testament  you  gave  me.”  The 
National  Bible  Society  of  Scotland,  which  per¬ 
forms  an  incomparable  service  for  Christ  through¬ 
out  the  world,  helped  to  support  the  colportage 
work,  and  thus  had  a  direct  share  in  the 
Mission. 

There  are  personalities  who  exercise  influence  ; 


PERSONALITIES 


197 


there  are  others  whose  influence  is  not  exercised, 
and  yet  is  all-pervading.  There  is  the  rushing 
wind  and  there  is  the  quiet  sunlight.  The  work  of 
Amina  Faris  was  of  the  latter  sort.  After  teaching 
in  Safed  for  six  years  her  health  had  failed  and  she 
was  taken  by  Mrs.  Thomson  to  Scotland,  where 
she  was  ill  for  nearly  a  year.  On  returning  she 
lived  in  Nazareth,  but  Dr.  Torrance,  believing 
that  Tiberias  would  suit  her  better,  brought  her  to 
the  hospital,  where  she  began  to  attend  in  the 
waiting-hall  and  visit  the  patients,  her  knowledge 
of  the  various  dialects  standing  her  in  good  stead. 
She  also  sewed  for  the  hospital  and  made  dresses 
for  the  nurses,  and  gradually  became  a  general  help 
to  both  patients  and  staff.  Without  fuss  or  force, 
with  nothing  but  her  gentle  charm,  her  goodness, 
and  her  clear  sensible  mind,  she  was  the  friend  and 
counsellor  and  helper  of  all.  The  eyes  of  the 
patients  brightened  as  they  saw  her  approach  ;  her 
modesty  and  humility  disarmed  the  fiercest  heart  ; 
none  took  offence  at  her  loving  efforts  to  bring 
them  into  the  kingdom  of  peace.  She  was,  what  her 
name  signified,  “  a  faithful  knight.” 

If  Sister  Frieda  was  the  Doctor’s  right  hand, 
Isaac  was  his  shadow — “  faithful  Isaac  Rosen  - 
blum,  who  buys  the  provisions,  acts  as  male  nurse, 
steward,  dispensary  attendant,  and  general  help.” 
Isaac  was  a  Jew.  He  was  born  in  Russia,  was 
never  at  school,  and  left  the  country  with  his 
parents  when  thirteen  years  old.  Many  a  country 
he  saw  and  many  a  vicissitude  he  suffered  in  Africa, 
Egypt,  and  Abyssinia  ere  he  reached  Tiberias  with 
his  father,  a  poor  and  broken  man.  The  latter  was 


198 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


attracted,  like  many  another  wanderer,  to  the 
Doctor,  and  died  in  hospital.  On  one  occasion 
when  the  khalukah  doles  dwindled  to  vanishing 
point  many  of  the  young  Jews  were  forced  to  work, 
and  Isaac  begged  the  Doctor  to  engage  him.  He 
was  taken  on,  and  from  performing  menial  tasks, 
such  as  scouring  floors,  he  worked  his  way  up  into 
being  the  Doctor’s  capable  attendant.  Offered 
large  wages  by  an  institution  in  Jerusalem,  he  went 
there  for  a  time,  but  returned  saying,  “  Please  take 
me  back  ;  you  can  give  me  what  you  like,  but  I  will 
not  stay  with  these  God-forsaken  people.”  No 
task  came  amiss  to  him  ;  he  would  work  from  dawn 
to  midnight  ;  he  was  always  ready  at  the  Doctor’s 
call.  A  short,  sturdy  man  with  a  fine  strong  face, 
grave  and  purposeful  in  expression,  and  wearing  a 
beard,  he  might  easily  have  been  taken  for  a  Scot. 
As  a  Jew  he  was  a  link  between  the  Doctor  and  his 
co-religionists  in  the  town,  and  was  invaluable  in  a 
hundred  different  ways. 

Another  indispensable  factotum  was  Moham¬ 
mad,  a  Moslem,  who  looked  after  the  grounds,  the 
water-engine,  and  all  the  outdoor  work. 

The  Mission  station  with  its  imposing  buildings, 
its  trim  gardens,  its  appearance  of  dignity  and 
refinement,  and  the  busy  well-ordered  life  going  on 
within  and  about  formed  a  scene  which  visitors, 
emerging  from  the  desolation  and  dirt  of  the  land,’ 
saw  with  frank  delight  and  even  wonder,  and  filled 
them  with  admiration  for  the  man  who  had  brought 
it  into  being.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Kelman  tells  some- 

t  ling  of  the  deep  impression  that  was  made  upon 
him : 


PERSONALITIES 


199 


“  Dr.  Torrance  has  lived  and  wrought  amid  conditions 
such  as  no  man  who  had  not  seen  can  possibly  imagine.  Among 
these  conditions,  where  it  seems  absolutely  impossible  to  have 
any  success,  he  has  fought  his  fight.  He  has  won  his  fight, 
and  to-day  it  is  due  to  him,  and  others  like  him,  that  the  name 
of  Christ  is  becoming  an  imperial  power  throughout  the  East. 

“Those  who  know  Dr.  Torrance  will  appreciate  the  situa¬ 
tion  when  they  imagine  him,  of  all  men,  set  down  in  the  midst 
of  all  this  natural  and  human  unhealthiness.  The  embodiment 
of  keen,  brisk,  healthy  humanity,  his  very  presence  brings  a 
blessing  with  it.  We  sailed  with  him  to  the  north  end  of  the 
Lake,  saw  his  wonderful  power  with  the  natives,  as  he  joked  with 
the  Mohammedan  boatmen,  and  kept  them  in  good  humour. 
We  felt  his  power  even  more  strongly  as  he  moved  about  the 
wards  of  his  hospital,  followed  by  the  eyes  of  forty  patients,  to 
every  one  of  whom  he  evidently  stood  for  hope  and  healing. 
That  week  he  had  performed  some  thirty  chloroform  operations, 
and  had  attended  two  or  three  hundred  outdoor  patients.  The 
sheikh  of  Nain  was  there,  to  be  operated  on  next  day,  and  a 
poor  beggar  girl,  who  had  been  burnt  almost  to  death  and  was 
now  recovering.  Most  of  the  patients  gathered  for  morning 
worship  in  the  largest  ward,  and  there,  in  reverent  silence,  grey- 
bearded  Jews,  stalwart  Moslems,  Arabs  from  the  East,  little 
curly-haired  children  from  the  city,  listened  to  the  great  story 
of  the  love  of  God  and  the  healing  grace  of  Jesus  Christ. 

“  There  is  no  part  of  a  scene  like  this  which  impresses  one 
more  than  its  gracious  help  for  women.  In  every  part  of  the 
land  their  hard  lot  moves  one’s  pity.  In  the  fields,  women  toil 
all  day  in  the  burning  sun.  By  the  wells  they  gather,  erect  and 
stately  of  carriage  ;  in  every  village  they  sit  in  the  foul  streets, 
engaged  in  the  filthiest  of  labour.  Here,  in  the  hospital,  they 
are  women  again.  Simple  and  merry,  grateful  for  all  kindness, 
and  quick  of  eye  and  hand,  they  will  return  to  their  hard  life 
with  at  least  the  memory  of  something  better.  The  pictures 
on  the  walls,  the  clean  and  sweet  rooms,  the  spotless  linen,  the 
kindly  touches,  the  good  fellowship  of  friends — all  these  have 
spoken  to  their  hearts,  and  the  message  will  not  be  forgotten. 

“  We  camped  one  evening  outside  the  walls  of  an  Arab  city. 
Next  morning  we  mounted,  and  rode  into  the  ‘  city  ’  in  search 
of  Greek  and  Roman  inscriptions.  A  crowd  followed  us, 


200 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


expostulating  and  protesting  that  there  were  none  to  be  found 
there.  Certainly  none  were  found,  and  we  had  almost  given 
up  hope  of  finding  any,  when  the  name  of  <  Hakim  Torrance  ’ 
suddenly  changed  suspicion  to  a  royal  welcome.  Within  a  few 
minutes  we  found  ourselves  the  guests  of  the  great  man  of  the 
city,  who  set  us  on  carpets  round  his  hearth  in  the  public  hall 
of  audience,  and  served  us  with  coffee  and  fair  words.  Finally 
he  led  us  out  and  in  among  the  houses  of  his  people,  showing 
us  all  the  inscribed  stones  of  the  city,  and  begging  us  to  remain 
with  him  as  his  guests.” 

And  in  his  book,  The  Holy  Land ,  which  gives 
so  vivid  a  picture  of  the  country,  he  shows  how 
profoundly  he  was  moved  by  the  sight  of  the 
Mission  stations.  “  They  are  spots  of  brightness 
in  a  very  grey  landscape  ;  the  only  thing  that 
turns  pity  into  hope  in  Palestine  is  the  Mission 
work  that  is  being  done  there.  No  one  can  see 
that  work  without  being  filled  with  an  altogether 
new  enthusiasm  for  missions.  Across  the  sea  one 
believes  in  them  as  a  part  of  Christian  duty  and 
custom.  On  the  spot  one  thanks  God  for  them 
as  almost  unearthly  revelations  of  sweetness  and 
cleanness,  abundance,  power  to  bless,  and  Christian 
love  in  a  loveless  land.  ...  It  is  in  this  field  that 

one  can  look  with  confidence  for  the  resurrection 
of  Syria.” 


VI.  REVOLUTION 
1905-1908 

In  1905  the  silence  of  the  Lake  of  Galilee  was 
bioken  by  the  whistle  of  a  locomotive.  The 


REVOLUTION 


201 


Turkish  Government  Railway  from  Haifa  to 
Damascus  touched  the  foot  of  the  Lake,  where  a 
station  was  established  at  the  Moslem  mud  village 
of  Samakh.  A  small  steamer  built  at  Constanti¬ 
nople,  manned  by  a  captain,  two  engineers,  and  six 
sailors,  and  capable  of  carrying  from  thirty  to 
forty  passengers,  was  placed  on  the  Lake — the  first 
that  had  ever  ploughed  its  waters — and  ran  between 
the  station  and  Tiberias,  which  was  thus  brought 
into  intimate  connection  with  the  coast  and  trans- 
Jordan  regions  tapped  by  the  main  line  to  Medina. 
The  pulse  of  life  began  to  beat  more  quickly  in  the 
district  ;  visitors  to  the  hot  baths  increased  in 
numbers  ;  and  there  was  a  notable  expansion  of 
Jewish  activity.  The  Colonization  Association 
continued  to  buy  up  the  good  land  in  the  neigh¬ 
bourhood  of  Tiberias  and  establish  colonies,  and 
roads  began  to  be  constructed  by  the  colonists  to 
facilitate  their  operations. 

A  rough  census  of  the  town  at  this  time  showed 
that  there  were  5700  Jews,  2000  Moslems,  of 
whom  300  were  strangers  and  visitors,  and  300 
Christians — a  total  population  of  8000,  which  was  a 
much  higher  figure  than  the  Doctor  had  imagined. 

At  the  same  time  there  was  an  outward  move¬ 
ment.  Greater  contact  with  the  world  roused  the 
young  men  of  the  town  and  villages  from  their 
contented  stupor ;  they  grew  restless  and  dis¬ 
satisfied  with  the  narrowness  of  their  environment, 
and  became  ambitious  to  get  on  and  make  money. 
Large  numbers  emigrated  to  the  British  Colonies 
and  America.  As  some  acquaintance  with  English 
was  essential  for  life  abroad,  the  evening  classes 


202 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


of  the  Mission,  now  conducted  by  Mr.  Cohen,  were 
extremely  popular.  It  was  an  opportunity  for  the 
evangelist,  of  which  he  made  the  most,  and  none 
of  his  pupils  left  the  town  without  some  knowledge 
of  the  supreme  secret  of  true  success  and  happiness. 
The  Jewish  colonists  naturally  sought  to  discourage 
their  young  men  from  leaving  the  country,  and  with 
this  object  only  Llebrew  was  taught  at  their  schools. 

The  Doctor  could  not  regard  the  developments 
going  on  without  wishing  that  his  old  dream  might 
be  realized — that  industrial  and  agricultural  work 
might  be  attached  to  the  Mission.  For  a  time  it 
seemed  as  if  the  thing  would  come  about.  In 
Scotland,  a  Scottish  Mission  Industries  Co.  Ltd. 
had  been  formed  inside  the  Church  to  carry  on 
industrial  concerns  in  India  as  auxiliary  to  the 
ordinary  mission  work,  and  it  was  hoped  that  its 
activities  would  extend  to  other  fields.  When  the 
Jewish  Mission  Committee  used  its  influence  with 
the  Company  on  behalf  of  Galilee,  it  was  indicated 
that  what  was  wanted  was  some  definite  scheme 
which  might  be  considered  and  taken  up  if 
practicable. 

The  Doctor  had  many  native  friends  who  were 
warm  supporters  of  the  Mission.  Through  some 
of  these  he  heard  of  a  tempting  proposition.  A 
large  tract  of  land,  about  2  square  miles  in  area, 
the  south-western  half  of  the  plain  of  Gennesaret 
along  the  Lake  shore,  was  available  if  he  cared  to 
secure  it  to  help  on  his  work  ;  it  might,  they  thought, 
be  profitably  developed,  and  not  only  help  to  run 
the  hospital,  but  eventually  pay  all  its  expenses. 
This  was  an  important  consideration,  for  prices 


REVOLUTION 


203 


had  gone  up  of  recent  years,  in  some  cases  three 
hundred  per  cent.  It  was  offered  to  him  for 
£2900. 

A  splendid  vision  came  to  the  Doctor.  He 
knew  what  the  Church  Missions  to  Jews  had  accom¬ 
plished  in  connection  with  their  magnificent  mission 
in  Jerusalem  ;  how  hundreds  of  Jewish  inquirers 
and  converts  had  learned  trades  in  their  House  of 
Industry,  and  been  able  to  earn  an  honourable 
livelihood  as  printers,  bookbinders,  carpenters, 
carvers,  and  olive- woodwork  craftsmen,  and  how 
the  women  were  not  forgotten ;  he  also  knew 
what  had  been  done  at  Sidon,  and  he  was  aware  of 
the  great  industrial  institutions  of  his  own  Church 
at  Lovedale  and  Livingstonia  ;  and  he  saw  no 
reason  why  an  enterprise  on  the  same  scale  should 
not  be  established  on  the  shores  of  the  Galilean 
Lake  and  meet  with  a  like  success,  and  thus  demon¬ 
strate  to  the  Jews  that  Christianity  was  not  a  mere 
matter  of  form,  but  a  practical  power  in  everyday 
life. 

He  wrote  at  once  to  Dr.  Ewing,  and  the  matter 
was  taken  up  by  the  Scottish  Mission  Industries 
Co.,  which  formed  an  associated  company  to  acquire 
and  develop  the  land.  It  was  proposed  to  begin 
with  ordinary  crops,  wheat,  barley,  lentils,  and 
maize,  and  with  vegetables  such  as  potatoes, 
melons,  cucumbers,  and  tomatoes,  and  by  degrees 
to  establish  vineries  and  orchards  of  orange,  lemon, 
citron,  apricot,  mulberry,  and  date-palm  trees,  and 
to  introduce  fishing  and  silkworm  industries.  No 
difficulty  was  found  in  obtaining  sufficient  sub¬ 
scribers. 


204 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


The  Doctor  was  anxious  to  secure  the  property 
at  once,  for  it  was  being  sought  after  by  the  Fran¬ 
ciscans,  who  were  offering  a  larger  price.  A  certain 
limit  of  time  was  given  him,  and  if  he  had  been  a 
free  agent  he  would  have  made  the  purchase  on 
his  own  behalf ;  but  he  was  obliged  to  wait  on  the 
business  being  put  through  in  Scotland.  The 
Church  crisis  was  then  occupying  the  attention 
of  those  interested  in  the  project  ;  they  were 
uncertain  as  to  the  demands  that  might  be  made 
upon  them  in  that  connection,  and  they  hesitated 
to  commit  themselves.  When  at  last  word  came 
that  the  purchase  money  had  been  sent  to  a  law 
agent  at  Beyrout,  who  would  pay  it  over  on  the  titles 
being  found  valid,  the  time  limit  had  expired  and 
the  territory  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Roman  Catholics.  They  sold  it  later  to  the  Jews 
for  three  times  the  amount,  and  it  is  now  the 
scene  of  a  flourishing  colony,  and  one  of  the  most 
valuable  sections  of  land  in  Galilee. 

The  Doctor’s  disappointment  was  very  great, 
and  he  had  little  heart  for  a  time  to  pursue  the 
matter  ;  but  he  never  ceased  to  point  out  the 
importance  of  industrial  and  agricultural  work  as  a 
factor  in  the  conversion  of  the  people. 

The  interest  occasioned  by  the  various  develop¬ 
ments  in  the  public  life  of  the  country  was  small 
compared  with  the  excitement  created  in  1908  by 
the  revolution  in  Constantinople  and  the  pro¬ 
clamation  of  a  reformed  constitution  for  the  Otto¬ 
man  Empire,  carrying  with  it  political  equality 
irrespective  of  race  or  creed.  “  There  is  to  be 
freedom  of  speech,  freedom  of  the  press,  religious 


REVOLUTION 


205 


freedom,”  wrote  Dr.  Torrance.  “  The  very  thought 
of  such  things  a  year  ago  seemed  impossible.  It  is 
a  modern  miracle,  the  work  of  God.” 

The  young  Turk  party  owed  far  more  to  the 
work  of  the  missionaries  in  the  Empire  than  they 
realized.  It  was  the  influence  of  the  mission 
stations,  and  the  Christian  colleges  and  schools,  that 
had  raised  the  general  level  of  intelligence  and 
taught  the  community  to  appreciate  not  only  the 
material  benefits  of  civilization,  but  also  the  moral 
and  spiritual  qualities  associated  with  it.  Since 
the  Jews  believed  that  the  new  conditions  would 
bring  nearer  the  time  when  the  country  would 
be  freely  opened  up  to  them,  they,  too,  were  in¬ 
debted  to  the  leavening  of  thought  that  had  made 
the  change  possible. 

The  population  of  Tiberias  went  wild  with 
delight.  In  the  public  squares  the  Doctor  saw 
Jews  dancing  with  Moslems  and  Christians.  Were 
they  not  now  all  equal  and  brothers  ?  and  could 
they  not  do  what  they  liked  in  social  and  religious 
life  ?  As  the  Doctor  looked  on  he  wondered  if  the 
ideals  of  the  young  Turks  would  be  realized  in 
practice.  The  changes  opened  up  many  possi¬ 
bilities  for  missionary  work.  But  he  had  mis¬ 
givings,  and  the  result  justified  his  fears.  There 
was  no  moral  or  spiritual  backbone  in  the  move¬ 
ment,  which  occasioned  great  social  unrest  and  un¬ 
settlement  of  thought.  A  notable  lessening  of 
religious  custom  was  observed  ;  intemperance  in¬ 
creased  amongst  the  Moslems,  licence  and  lawless¬ 
ness  became  common,  and  robbery  and  murder 
were  frequent  in  the  country  districts.  Never 


206 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

befoie  nad  the  Doctor  to  deal  with  so  many  stabbing 
and  gun  and  revolver  shot  cases.  The  universal 
conscription  law,  also,  was  unpopular,  and  many 

Jews  and  Christians  emigrated  to  escape  enlist- 
ment. 

But  it  takes  many  dynamic  changes  to  alter  the 
fundamental  attitude  of  the  East,  and  the  people 
gradually  fell  back  into  their  normal  condition,  to 
be  agitated  later  by  an  attempt  on  the  part  of 
the  Government  to  impose  taxation  and  disarma¬ 
ment.  Civil  war  raged  for  a  time  in  the  Hauran  ; 
the  railway  track  was  torn  up,  officials  killed,  and 
stations  looted.  During  the  process  of  disarming 
the  people  it  was  noticed  that  a  heavy  mortality 
took  place  ;  the  funerals  indeed  became  so  numerous 
that  the  authorities  grew  suspicious  and  examined 
a  coffin.  It  contained  modern  rifles  ! 

When  the  turn  of  Tiberias  came,  five  hundred 
soldiers  isolated  the  town,  and  the  inhabitants 
trembled,  but  they  obediently  brought  out  their 
arms  and  piled  them  high  in  the  public  squares. 
Never  was  seen  such  a  collection  of  ancient  weapons. 

All  passed  off  quietly,  and  the  military  departed _ 

then  the  people  at  their  leisure  unearthed  the 
Mausers  and  Martinis  which  they  had  hidden 
under  the  ground.  It  was  not  surprising  that 

gunshot  wounds  continued  to  be  treated  at  the 
hospital. 

On  one  occasion  the  Doctor  encountered  an 
excise  officer  who  interrogated  him  and  endeavoured 
to  seize  his  gun.  The  Doctor  resisted.  “  You 
know  me,”  he  said  ;  “  come  to  the  hospital.  I  am 
not  a  shepherd.”  As  a  rule  he  was  not  molested 


REVOLUTION 


207 


on  his  journeys,  though  accidents  sometimes 
happened.  Once,  returning  from  Nazareth  with 
Mohammad,  he  rode  up  to  a  party  of  horsemen  who 
were  on  their  way  back  from  the  coast  with  the  pro¬ 
ceeds  of  some  money  transaction.  Evidently  be¬ 
lieving  they  were  being  attacked,  one  raised  his 
gun  and  was  about  to  shoot  the  Doctor  when 
Mohammad  threw  up  his  arms  and  shouted,  “  We 
are  friends  ;  don’t  fire  !  ”  The  others  also  shouted, 
and  the  man  wavered  and  lowered  his  weapon. 
When  he  recognized  the  Doctor  he  was  more 
afraid  than  before,  and  abjectly  sorry.  The  Doctor’s 
courage  was  well  known.  Once  he  was  asked  by 
Arabs,  by  whom  he  was  “  held  up,”  “  Why  are  you 
not  frightened  ?  ”  “  Because,”  he  said,  4 4  I  am 

going  to  do  a  good  deed.”  4 4  Ah,  that  is  true  ;  if  you 
had  been  going  to  steal  you  would  have  fled.” 

Having,  as  they  thought,  made  the  country 
safe,  the  Government  allowed  buildings  to  be 
erected  outside  the  towns — a  reform  of  first-class 
importance.  Tiberias  began  to  break  its  bonds  and 
to  expand.  One  of  the  first  plots  of  land  bought 
was  a  piece  to  the  north  of  the  Mission  Hospital, 
on  higher  ground,  on  which  Sisters  of  the  Roman 
Communion  erected  a  large  boarding  and  day 
school  and  an  orphanage,  and  staffed  the  institu¬ 
tion  with  European  ladies.  These  Sisters  were 
occasional  patients  of  the  Doctor,  and  were  friendly 
with  him  and  the  nurses.  “  Scotland  must  be  a 
land  of  saints,”  one  gratefully  observed — an  em¬ 
barrassing  reputation,  since  the  Scots  felt  they 
had  to  live  up  to  it. 


208 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


VII.  SCHOOL  DIFFICULTIES 

1908 

The  Mission  ceased  to  be  an  isolated  centre  of 
beneficent  influence  in  the  town  ;  other  agencies, 
stimulated  by  its  example,  came  into  the  field. 
Two  Jewish  physicians  were  in  practice,  and  a  third 
was  employed  in  the  colonies.  Though  officially 
opposed  to  the  Doctor,  they  were  personally  his 
friends  and  sought  him  in  consultation,  and  referred 
patients  to  the  hospital  for  operations.  He  wel¬ 
comed  their  help  as  he  did  that  of  every  one  on  the 
side  of  what  was  right  and  progressive,  and  only 
wished  that  the  Moslems  and  Christians  had  also 
competent  doctors  of  their  own. 

No  rival  development,  unfortunately,  seemed 
able  to  ease  his  work.  Two  thousand  patients  per 
month  flocked  to  the  Mission — more  than  he  could 
attend  or  see — and  the  numbers  went  on  increasing 
instead  of  diminishing.  From  the  far  deserts  they 
came,  as  stories  of  his  skill  passed  from  tribe  to 
tribe.  To  many  in  these  distant  regions  his  per¬ 
sonality  had  become  invested  with  mysterious 
qualities,  and  they  thought  of  him  with  awe.  One 
day  some  Arabs  brought  a  patient.  When  the 
Doctor  was  examining  him,  one  turned  to  Sister 
Frieda  and  said  eagerly,  “  We  want  to  see  ‘  Trance.’  ” 
She  replied,  “  This  is  Dr.  Torrance.”  They 
looked  startled  and  gazed  at  him  in  wonder. 

How  do  you  know  ‘  Trance  ’  ?  ”  she  asked 

them. 


SCHOOL  DIFFICULTIES 


209 


“  We  hear  of  him  everywhere  in  the  desert 
that  there  is  no  one  like  him.  We  are  glad  we 
have  seen  him.,, 

A  woman  arrived  from  the  extreme  north. 
“  But  why  didn’t  you  go  to  Safed  ?  ”  she  was 
asked.  “  I  don’t  know  the  doctor  there,  but  Dr. 
Torrance  we  all  know.” 

The  Doctor  did  not  disdain  to  use  whatever 
means  came  to  his  hand  to  increase  his  influence. 
A  visitor  tells  of  an  Arab  who  had  come  for  a 
serious  operation,  and  was  in  rather  a  despondent 
frame  of  mind.  The  Doctor  started  a  gramophone, 
which  had  been  a  gift  from  Scotland,  and  when 
the  patient  heard  the  music  his  spirits  rose.  “  He 
got  up  and  began  to  dance  and  caper — a  wild¬ 
looking  creature  in  his  nightgown — and  the  prospect 
of  a  successful  operation  was  multiplied  tenfold.” 

One  feature  of  the  work  was  a  tribute  to  his  wise 
and  patient  handling  of  the  people.  The  majority 
were  extremely  poor,  the  Jews  being  constantly 
on  the  verge  of  starvation  ;  it  was  indeed  often 
necessary  to  supply  them  with  food  and  money. 
Yet  he  had  trained  all  so  well  to  be  willing  to  help 
themselves  that  the  annual  income  of  the  Mission 
from  fees  now  amounted  to  over  £300.  “It  is 
almost  incredible,”  he  said,  “  that  such  a  sum  should 
be  raised  in  Tiberias.”  The  fees  were  now  a 
necessary  charge,  since  it  was  only  fair  to  the  other 
medical  practitioners  in  the  town  that  they  should 
not  be  handicapped  by  an  institution  providing 
entirely  free  treatment. 

It  was  notable  that  the  patients  who  gave  him 
the  most  trouble  were  not  the  poor  but  the  wealthy. 


210 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Prom  a  village  came  a  woman  with  her  boy,  who 
was  operated  on.  She  was  destitute,  but  from  her 
head-dress  she  took  out  a  coin  worth  a  sixpence 
and  placed  it  in  the  hospital  box.  From  the  same 
village  came  a  sheikh.  “  Well,”  said  the  Doctor, 
“  what  are  you  able  to  pay  ?  ”  “  Oh,  the  same  as 

other  people — a  sixpence  !  ”  “  That,”  replied  the 

Doctor  smiling,  “  is  surely  too  much  for  you  to 
pay ;  you  had  better  go  to  the  native  surgeon ;  he 
will  operate  for  less.”  The  sheikh  caught  the 
sarcasm  and  said  truculently,  “  I  thought  the 
work  here  was  the  work  of  God.”  “  Quite  so, 
and  what  are  you  going  to  put  into  His  box  ?  ” 
“  I  have  no  money.”  “  Well,  I  cannot  operate 
until  you  bring  a  proper  fee.”  By  a  subterfuge 
the  man  managed  to  enter  the  hospital,  and  was 
being  put  under  chloroform  when  it  was  discovered 
that  he  had  paid  nothing.  The  Doctor  was  ruthless  ; 
he  ordered  him  out,  and  only  operated  on  him 
when  he  produced  the  fee  he  was  quite  capable 
of  giving. 

On  another  occasion  an  Arab  brought  a  woman 
who,  he  said,  had  been  picked  up  by  him  on  the 
road.  “  Is  she  your  wife  ?  ”  the  Doctor  asked 
pointedly.  He  denied  it  emphatically,  but  the 
suspicion  remained.  The  woman  seemed  too 
frightened  to  open  her  lips,  and  the  Doctor  went  out 
and  made  inquiries  and  discovered  that  she  was 
indeed  one  of  his  wives.  Returning,  he  said  the 
treatment  would  take  some  time,  and  he  would 
have  to  pay  so  much.  “  What  is  she  to  me?” 
the  man  cried,  and  began  to  curse.  The  Doctor 
procured  a  short  whip,  laid  it  across  his  back, 


SCHOOL  DIFFICULTIES 


211 


opened  the  door,  and  ejected  him.  Some  time  after¬ 
wards  he  was  visiting  patients  in  a  village  and  felt 
something  like  a  dog  at  his  heels.  Turning,  he 
saw  the  man  he  had  chastened  endeavouring 
to  kiss  his  feet.  “  I  thought,”  he  said  humbly, 
“  ^  was  a  poor  hospital.  Will  you  take  her  in  ?  ” 
“  Yes,”  the  Doctor  responded  ;  “  but  you  won’t 
get  her  out  again  until  the  fee  is  paid  !  ”  Which 
it  was. 

“  The  centre  of  the  Mission  at  present,”  he 
wrote  at  this  time,  “  is  the  hospital  and  its  dispensary, 
not  the  schools  or  churches,  but  to  be  efficient  as  a 
Christianizing  agency  the  medical  workers  should 
not  be  overwhelmed  with  their  work  as  they  now 
are.  The  calls  are  more  than  we  can  undertake  ; 
most  of  the  patients  hear  the  gospel  message ; 
doctors  and  nurses  do  what  they  can,  but  we  feel 
the  lack  of  non-medical,  sympathetic,  and  tactful 
workers  to  speak  to  individuals  or  groups  while 
they  are  being  treated.  We  are  all  burdened  with 
the  strain  of  the  feeling  of  disappointment  that  so 
much  is  left  undone.” 

He  felt  also  that  the  Church  public  at  home 
were  expecting  larger  results  and  were  unaware 
of  the  difficulties  that  had  to  be  overcome.  But 
Dr.  Hastings,  who  was  then  the  wise  and  large- 
hearted  convener,  made  the  position  clear.  “  The 
work  we  are  doing,”  he  said,  “  is  essentially  pre¬ 
paratory  work.  It  needs  patience  ;  and  if  we  are 
not  prepared  to  exercise  patience  the  sooner  we 
retire  from  it  the  better.  It  is  part  of  the  burden 
laid  on  our  missionaries  that  they  are  called  to  sow 
rather  than  to  reap.  They  have  to  learn  to  labour 


212 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


and  to  wait,  and  they  require  all  the  sympathy  that 
we  can  give  them.” 

It  was  the  educational  work  that  was  chiefly 
affected  by  the  new  conditions.  The  Alliance 
Israelite  schools  were  developing  with  remarkable 
rapidity.  In  Tiberias  they  had  now  an  average 
attendance  of  500  pupils  as  compared  with  130  in 
both  the  Mission  schools.  French  was  the 
language  used,  with  Hebrew  and  Arabic  as  special 
subjects.  Nothing  was  left  undone  to  attract  the  chil¬ 
dren.  The  buildings  were  well  equipped  ;  the  staff 
was  highly  trained,  there  were  free  dinners,  books, 
boots,  and  clothing,  and  in  some  cases  a  gratuity 
was  actually  given.  The  Mission  schools  could 
not  compete  with  this  lavish  scale  of  expenditure, 
though  during  severe  winters,  when  prices  were 
high  and  food  scarce,  the  pupils  were  still  provided 
with  dinner.  As  the  spirit  of  independence  was 
conspicuous  by  its  absence  in  Tiberias,  no  hurt  was 
done  either  to  parents  or  pupils  by  this  occasional 
act  of  grace. 

It  was  not  only  the  Jews  that  the  Mission  was 
provoking  to  enterprise.  Both  the  Moslems  and 
Christians  were  doing  their  best  to  organize  and 
run  schools  of  their  own,  though  not  always  with 
success.  On  one  occasion  a  Catholic  Bishop  who 
visited  the  town  reprimanded  parents  for  sending 
their  children  to  the  Protestant  School.  “  We 
have  chosen  the  school  where  they  are  taught  best,” 
they  said.  4 4  Nonsense ;  your  judgment  is  mis¬ 
taken,”  he  replied.  “  We  can  prove  that  it  is  not,” 
they  asserted  confidently.  A  number  of  boys  from 
the  respective  schools  were  obtained  and  submitted 


SCHOOL  DIFFICULTIES 


213 


by  the  Bishop  to  a  searching  examination.  To  his 
discomfiture  the  Mission-taught  lads  came  off  with 

colours  and  the  Catholic  pupils  were  covered 
with  shame. 

The  children  in  the  Jewish  schools  belonged 
to  the  less  fanatical  Sephardim  section  of  the 
community.  The  Ashkenazim,  considering  that 
the  influence  of  the  teaching  tended  to  under¬ 
mine  the  orthodox  faith— with  which  belief  Dr. 
Torrance  agreed — declined  to  patronize  them.  The 
education  given  was  thoroughly  good,  but  it  was 
secular ;  it  enlightened  and  broadened  the  minds 
of  the  pupils,  but  it  was  loosening  the  bonds 
of  the  Talmud  and  substituting  materialism  for 
theism.  Schools  to  suit  their  own  purpose  were, 
therefore,  started  by  the  Ashkenazim,  with  Hebrew 
as  the  sole  language,  but  they  were  somewhat 
primitive  and  nourished  the  exclusive  and  narrow 
spirit  of  the  race. 

In  addition  to  the  disadvantages  under  which 
the  Mission  schools  had  to  labour  they  struggled 
against  a  disability  not  experienced  by  their  rivals. 
Each  of  the  latter  appealed  to  a  different  class  of 
pupil  and  could,  therefore,  concentrate  and 
specialize  on  subjects.  In  the  Mission  schools 
were  boys  and  girls  of  all  creeds,  and  each  creed  had 
to  be  catered  for  in  some  separate  way.  Religious 
fasts  and  feasts  were  also  perpetually  occurring, 
and,  as  they  came  at  different  times  in  the  different 
bodies,  it  was  impossible  to  secure  either  regular 
or  simultaneous  attendance.  This  was  so  great  an 
evil  in  Safed  that  Dr.  Torrance,  impressed  with  the 
difficulty,  proposed  to  have  schools  for  the  Jews 


214 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


alone  which  would  be  in  line  with  the  policy  of  the 
Church,  though  they  could  not  neglect  the  Moslems 
and  Christians,  unless  they  asked  some  society 
which  worked  amongst  these  to  come  in  and  take 
up  the  work. 

Another  problem  forcing  itself  on  the  notice 
of  the  missionaries  was  the  difficulty  of  making  a 
permanent  impression  on  the  boys  and  girls  so  long 
as  they  went  back  to  their  squalid  environment, 
where  the  good  effected  in  the  school  was  often  un¬ 
done  by  the  evil  influences  surrounding  them.  To 
the  Doctor’s  mind  the  only  way  of  securing  the 
children  for  life  was  to  start  boarding-schools  and 
orphanages  to  which  day-schools  might  be  attached. 
Miss  Jones  was  experimenting  in  this  direction 
with  a  number  of  tiny  children. 

Despite  all  the  drawbacks,  the  Mission  schools 
with  their  broad  curriculum  and  high  moral  tone 
held  their  own.  In  Safed  they  were  now  alone 
in  the  field,  as  in  view  of  the  erection  of  a  large 
hospital  and  dispensary  by  the  Church  Missions 
to  Jews  the  medical  side  of  the  work  had  been 
abandoned.  The  boys’  school  was  under  Mas'ud 
Qorban,  a  capable  native  educationist,  who  also 
carried  on  the  Bible  Depot  and  the  Sunday  services. 
The  girls’  school  was  by  general  consent,  official 
and  unofficial,  one  of  the  best  in  Palestine.  Never¬ 
theless,  the  satisfaction  of  the  teachers  was  always 
mixed  with  anxiety,  for  the  slightest  untowrard 
incident  would  create  a  scare  and  empty  the  benches. 

They  are  very  uncertain  treasures,”  said  Miss 
Jones  of  the  scholars.  On  one  occasion  the  Jews 
gave  out  that  their  sacred  books  foretold  an  earth- 


SCHOOL  DIFFICULTIES 


215 


quake,  and  straightway  the  Jewish  population  and 
many  of  the  Moslems  and  Christians  left  their 
houses  carrying  their  beds,  kettles,  and  pots,  and 
camped  in  the  open.  At  night  the  rumble  of 
thunder  was  heard,  and  a  learned  rabbi  declared 
that  the  earthquake  was  in  the  heavens !  The 
alarm  lasted  about  a  week,  and  then  the  school 
resumed  its  normal  activity. 

The  usual  interruptions  and  disturbances  over 
the  religious  difficulty  continued  to  recur.  These 
often  puzzled  the  children.  “  Why  do  our  parents 
object  to  us  reading  the  New  Testament  ?  ”  they 
would  ask.  One  little  Jewess  remarked  to  Miss 
Gwladys  Jones,  “  Why  am  I  not  allowed  to  sing 
at  home  ?  My  mother  says  I  am  not  to  love 
Jesus.  I  am  only  to  love  God.”  The  situation 
was  simpler  for  the  Moslem  girls,  for  they  were 
not  taught  anything  at  all  in  their  homes. 

These  dark-eyed  girls  of  Galilee  were  very 
affectionate  and  winning,  and  possessed  marvellous 
memories,  but  their  thinking  faculty  had  never 
been  trained,  and  it  was  difficult  to  get  them  to 
grasp  the  meaning  of  what  they  learned.  Miss 
Gwladys  Jones  often  recalled  the  advice  she  had 
received  on  taking  up  the  work  :  “  Go  on  sowing, 
have  patience,  much  patience,  and  do  not  expect 
to  see  fruit.”  It  was  true  that  there  was  no  result 
in  the  shape  of  Christian  discipleship,  but  many 
of  the  girls  were  Christian  in  all  but  name,  while 
they  were  developing  those  qualities  which  make  for 
capable  and  attractive  womanhood. 


216 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


VIII.  “  DEAD  TIRED  ” 
1908-12 


“  The  work  is  very  hard,  and  so  is  the  field,  and 
one  is  apt  to  become  engrossed  in  the  dry  detail 
of  0111  daily  duties,  but  we  keep  pegging  away.” 

So  the  Doctor  summed  up  what  was  his  yearly 
task.  He  was  never  satisfied  with  what  he  had 
achieved  ,  he  was  always  planning  some  develop¬ 
ment  of  the  work  ;  buying  plots  of  ground  to  safe¬ 
guard  the  amenity  of  the  hospital,  erecting  new 
structures  such  as  isolation  rooms,  wash-houses, 
and  tanks,  or  improving  the  grounds.  Now  and 
again  an  epidemic  would  interrupt  the  regular 
work,  as  when  small-pox  occurred  and  carried  off 
three  hundred  victims,  or  when  dengue  fever  swept 
through  the  town,  and  laid  low  every  member  of 
the  Mission  staff.  The  hospital  was  always  full  to 
overflowing,  and  crowds  of  eager  out-patients  filled 
the  dispensary  hall.  They  were  seen  only  on 
Mondays,  Wednesdays,  and  Fridays,  until  1  p.m.  ; 
minor  operations  and  visits  to  patients  in  their 
homes  occupied  the  afternoons  ;  the  alternate  days 
were  devoted  to  hospital  cases  and  operations. 

1  he  Doctor  s  old  cry  of  inability  to  cope  with  the 
tide  of  human  ills  was  repeated  again  and  again 
and  he  would  add,  “  Oh,  for  power  to  take  advantage 
of  such  opportunities  !  ”  Once  in  an  address  to 
outgoing  missionaries  he  had  said :  “  Beware  of 
taking  too  many  patients.  I  have  seen  medical 
missionaries  not  having  time  to  tell  the  patients 


“  DEAD  TIRED  ” 


217 


to  sit  down  and  take  off  their  coats.  How  can 
anyone,  if  he  is  taking  more  cases  than  he  can 
attend  to,  do  good  work  ?  If  the  work  is  worth 
doing,  it  is  worth  doing  well.  No  quack  work  in 
medical  work.”  But  when  faced  with  the  tragedy 
of  suffering  in  the  mass,  when  crowds  of  men  and 
women  appealed  to  him  for  relief,  what  course 
could  he  adopt  ?  He  had  either  to  steel  his  heart 
and  turn  away,  or  do  what  he  could,  however 
superficially,  to  ease  their  pain.  He  was  too  sym¬ 
pathetic  to  take  the  sterner  course. 

In  January  1908  he  was  married  to  Miss  E.  W. 
Curtiss,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Curtiss  of 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  a  sister  of  a  well- 
known  American  writer.  It  was  a  happy  union,  and 
it  made  the  tea-table  corner  of  the  veranda  more 
attractive  than  ever  to  the  American  tourists  who 
passed  through  in  increasing  numbers  every  spring. 

Later  in  the  year,  while  performing  an  operation 
on  a  poor  woman,  he  pricked  a  finger  of  his  left 
hand  ;  during  the  night  he  was  awakened  by  a 
severe  pain,  and  rose  and  went  to  the  hospital,  dis¬ 
infected  the  puncture,  and  incised  it.  Next  day 
he  went  on  with  his  work,  but  during  an  operation 
had  to  leave  in  a  fainting  condition.  Dr.  Scrimgeour 
(who  was  assisting  Dr.  Vartan  at  Nazareth,  and 
succeeded  him  when  he  died  in  December)  was 
brought  down,  and  placed  him  under  chloroform, 
and  made  more  incisions.  The  Doctor  had  no 
recollection  of  what  occurred  after  that,  until,  a 
week  later,  he  found  himself  in  bed  helplessly 
weak.  A  fortnight  among  the  pine-woods  of 
Mount  Carmel  brought  him  back  to  strength. 


218 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


The  continuous  strain  began  to  tell  even  on  his 
wonderful  vitality  ;  what  had  to  be  done  was  now 
utterly  beyond  his  power  to  do.  All  the  staff  were 
working  at  high  pressure.  Even  the  presence  of 
another  European  medical  man  would  not,  he  saw, 
appreciably  relieve  the  situation.  He  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  only  solution  would  be  to  stem 
the  flow  of  trans- Jordanian  patients  by  estab¬ 
lishing  a  well-equipped  medical  mission  in  the 
Hauran  or  Druze  Mountains,  or  both,  and  most 
earnestly  he  recommended  the  plan  to  the  Jewish 
Mission  Committee,  though  with  a  doubt  as  to  their 
financial  ability  to  undertake  it.  The  doubt  was 
justified.  Jewish  mission  work  was  not  so  popular 
in  the  Church  as  it  had  been,  and  it  took  every 
particle  of  energy  and  generalship  on  the  part  of  the 
officials  to  raise  the  funds  for  the  ordinary  services. 
They  looked  at  both  sides  of  every  shilling  sub¬ 
scribed  until  they  felt  like  skinflints. 

In  1909  the  Doctor  broke  down,  but  the  summer 
vacation  and  the  rest  in  the  hills  again  restored  him. 
What  did  him  more  good  than  the  change  was  the 
arrival  of  the  Rev.  S.  H.  Semple,  B. A.  of  Dublin 
and  B.D  of  London,  as  clerical  colleague.  Mr. 
Semple  had  taken  his  theological  course  at  New 
College,  Edinburgh,  and  had  been  in  charge  of  the 
Colonial  Church  at  Lahore,  India.  To  scholarly 
attainments  and  a  deep  interest  in  Semitic  studies 
he  added  a  love  and  knowledge  of  science  and  a 
leaning  towards  educational  work,  and  was  there¬ 
fore  eminently  qualified  for  the  task  before  him. 

So  reinforced  the  Doctor  faced  the  future 
with  unabated  enthusiasm.  “  It  is  a  great  privilege 


“  DEAD  TIRED  55 


219 


to  have  charge  of  such  a  work,”  he  wrote,  “  and  to 
have  such  noble  help  from  every  assistant  and 
worker.”  All  the  visitors  at  this  time  spoke  in 
praise  of  the  hospital.  The  Governor  of  Acre 
came  and  “  rendered  thanks  to  its  founders  in  the 
name  of  humanity  ”  on  behalf  of  the  natives  ;  and 
the  Kaim-makam  or  Governor  of  Tiberias  wrote : 

I  offer  my  thanks  to  the  clever  Dr.  Torrance 
and  to  the  clever  English  nation  for  their  good 
enterprise.” 

He  was  much  cheered  also  by  the  kindness 
shown  him  on  completing  his  twenty-fifth  year  in 
Tiberias.  The  event  was  celebrated  by  a  com¬ 
munion  service,  and,  on  the  following  day,  by  a 
public  reception,  which  was  attended  by  over  a 
hundred  Jews,  Moslems,  and  Christians.  Mr. 
Semple  presided,  and  addresses  and  speeches  were 
given  by  representatives  of  every  section  of  the 
community.  First  came  an  address  from  the 
Doctor’s  Jewish  friends,  which  is  given  entire  as 
a  specimen  of  Oriental  phraseology  : 

“  In  honour  of  the  respected,  distinguished,  and  illustrious 
physician  whose  name  is  known  by  praise,  Dr.  David  Watt 
Torrance.  May  his  name  be  for  ever  ! 

“  What  an  honoured  day  !  the  day  on  which  we  are  privi¬ 
leged  to  bring  to  light  our  thoughts,  to  uncover  the  hidden 
things  of  our  hearts,  which  we  have  long  desired  to  utter  before 
thee  ;  the  feelings  of  our  heart  that  are  full  of  gratitude  and 
blessings  for  the  fitting  return  of  thy  distinguished  deeds  in  the 
science  of  medicine  :  that  thou  dost  cure  without  price  the 
poor  of  our  city  at  thy  splendid  hospital,  to  which  all  that  enter 
are  cured,  and  leave,  by  God’s  help,  healthy  and  sound,  happy 
and  rejoicing,  and  full  of  satisfaction,  pleasure,  and  goodwill, 
respect  and  lasting  esteem  !  Yes,  now  is  the  fitting  time  to 


220 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


speak  ;  the  jubilee  !  the  day  when  there  are  completed  twenty- 
five  years  of  thy  labour  in  our  city,  Tiberias. 

‘  ‘  Wlth  the  fuil  desire  of  our  souls  we  come  with  uplifted 
hanas  to  present  to  thee,  honourable,  esteemed,  and  excellent 
Sir,  a  tribute  of  our  thanks  and  blessings  and  praise  ;  as  is 

fitting  and  due  to  thy  labour,  we  would  honour  thy  favour  and 
goodness. 

Blessed  art  thou,  illustrious  physician,  because  thou  hast 
acquired  for  thysell  a  good  name  to  honour  and  to  glory,  in  all 
the  holy  cities  in  general,  and  in  our  city  in  particular  ;  in  a  high 
way.  W  e  desire  that  thou  continue  at  thy  great  work  ;  with 
width  of  understanding  and  thy  might  of  genius  in  the  science 
of  medicine.  And  may  He  that  dwelleth  in  the  heavens  give 
thee  strength  and  power  for  long  days  and  years  !  As  a  mark 
of  gratitude  and  thankfulness  we  present  our  poor  offering 
hoping  it  will  be  acceptable  to  thee.” 

The  gift  was  a  silver  cup  with  a  Hebrew  in¬ 
scription.  Then  the  Greek  Catholic  priest,  on 
behalf  of  the  native  Christian  community,  gave  a 
fervent  address  and  presented  a  silver  plate.  “  We 
lift  up  our  heads  in  supplication/’  he  said,  “  that 
you  may  be  kept  a  fruitful  sower  of  benevolence 
and  well-doing  and  a  refuge  to  afflicted  humanity.” 

Next  came  the  head  priest  of  the  Greek  Ortho¬ 
dox  Church,  who  presented  a  picture  frame  and 
another  address.  A  spokesman  from  the  Ash¬ 
kenazim  Jews,  and  one  from  the  Sephardim  Jews, 
voiced^  the  sentiments  of  their  co-religionists! 
The  Moslem  representatives  then  stepped  forward,* 
and  said  in  Arabic : 

“  O  honourable,  venerable,  respected,  able,  erudite  ! 

“  The  buttresses  of  a  nation  are  upheld  by  one  of  its  citizens 
who  raised  it  to  the  highest  pinnacle  of  glory,  just  as  another 
would  hurl  it  down  to  the  lowest  depth.  Any  people  who  do 
not  recognize  the  worth  of  its  men  nor  reward  the  merit  of 


“  DEAD  TIRED  ” 


221 


their  deeds  is  despicable  indeed,  unworthy  of  mention  or 
honour. 

“  You,  sir,  have  spent  a  quarter  of  a  century  amongst  us, 
during  which  time  you  have  done  the  Turkish  nation  a  remark¬ 
able  service  worthy  of  thanks  ;  always  disregarding  difficulties 
and  inconveniences,  and  curing  thousands  of  the  people.  What 
language  shall  we  use  to  praise  your  merciful  and  famous  deeds  ? 
for  praise  to  you  is  indeed  of  little  avail.  We  are  assembled 
here,  people  of  divers  creeds  and  sects,  to  confess,  with  one 
consent,  your  goodness,  and  to  take  part  in  celebrating  your 
jubilee.  You  have  spent  twenty-five  years  serving  our  country 
with  inestimable  services  which  must  be  recorded  with  the  ink 
of  praise  and  gratitude.  You  have  spent  this  period  treating 
the  sick,  supporting  the  poor,  lightening  the  woes  of  the 
afflicted,  and  comforting  the  broken-hearted.  It  is  of  such  as 
you  that  Job  has  said,  ‘  You  are  eyes  to  the  blind,  feet  to  the 
lame,  and  father  to  the  orphans  !  ’  Who,  describing  your 
deeds,  does  not  halt,  stammer,  and  tremble  ? 

“  Should  I  cease  to  recount  your  good  deeds,  then  would  the 
stones  of  the  hospital  proclaim  them,  which  (the  hospital)  is  the 
chief  witness  to  what  I  have  said.  Therefore  I  abridge  my 
address,  avowing  my  shortcoming,  and  ask  God  to  grant  you 
return  of  this  day  that  you  may  still  serve  this  land.” 

A  member  of  the  Young  Turks  Society  pro¬ 
ceeded  to  deliver  a  glowing  speech  in  French, 
and  a  pastor  of  the  German  Catholic  Mission 
at  et-Tabigha  added  his  eulogies. 

Mr.  Cohen  made  the  presentation  of  the  gifts 
from  the  staff,  Miss  Major  handing  them  over, 
while  Mr.  Semple  read  an  illuminated  address  from 
the  Committee  in  Scotland,  which  was  also  trans¬ 
lated  into  Arabic. 

Overwhelmed  by  so  much  kind  and  generous 
appreciation  of  his  services,  the  Doctor  could  only 
make  a  brief  reply.  He  spoke  of  his  early  days  in 
the  town  and  the  years  that  had  passed  since  then, 


222 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

and  lecalled  those  who  had  helped  him,  the  de¬ 
votion  of  one,  the  friendship  of  another,  the  counsel 
and  encouragement  of  many  belonging  to  other 
faiths,  the  sympathy  and  liberal  help  of  Christian 
men  and  women  in  Scotland.  But  it  was  God 
who  had  led  him  in  a  wonderful  way  and  given  him 
the  strength  to  overcome  all  the  difficulties  and 
trials,  and  to  Him  must  be  all  the  praise,  and  to 

Him  they  must  look  to  crown  the  years  with  His 
blessing. 

ATx s .  Foriance  became  unwell,  an  infant  son 
died,  and  the  Doctor  himself  was  again  on  the  point 
of  breaking  down,  and  was  at  last  compelled  to 
apply  for  earlier  furlough.  “  Sister  Frieda,”  he 
wiote,  will,  single-handed,  manage  to  attend 
to  the  nursing  during  my  absence,  with  the  assist- 
ance  the  native  nurses.”  Well  aware  of  the 
pressure  at  which  he  was  living,  the  Jewish  Mission 
Committee  were  anxious  to  secure  him  relief,  and 

finally  arranged  that  Dr.  David  Yellowlees  should 
take  his  place  for  a  year. 

At  the  same  time,  in  1911,  two  deputies  were 
sent  out  to  report  on  the  stations,  one  being  Dr. 
Ewing,  then  the  Convener  of  the  Committee,  and 
the  other  the  Rev.  S.  Matheson,  M.A.,  a  prom¬ 
inent  member.  It  was  the  first  time  that  official 
representatives  of  the  Committee  had  visited  the 
Mission,  and  Dr.  Torrance,  welcoming  this  interest 
and  sympathy  in  the  work  and  workers,  met  them 
ea&erl>  with  plans  for  extension  and  development. 
The  hospital  was  now  too  small  for  ordinary 
requirements  ;  better  ventilation  was  essential— 
during  the  summer  the  temperature  had  risen  to 


“  DEAD  TIRED  ” 


223 


1 1 8°  F.  in  the  shade  ;  during  the  winter  it  fell  to 
330  F.  He  was  keen  to  realize  his  dream  of  a 
maternity  department,  and  to  establish  a  ward  for 
sick  tourists,  and  he  urged  the  need  for  a  modern 
system  of  drainage,  and  for  electric  lighting  and 
other  improvements. 

The  deputies  were  greatly  impressed  by  the 
phenomenal  success  of  the  medical  work  and  its 
evangelistic  value,  but  they  were  distressed  by 
the  condition  of  the  other  aspects  of  the  Mission. 
Both  evangelistic  and  educational  sides  had  been 
seriously  understaffed  ;  they  had,  in  fact,  been  liter¬ 
ally  starved,  and  they  would  have  to  be  greatly 
developed  and  placed  on  a  footing  of  equality  with 
the  medical  work.  In  their  opinion  the  only  hope 
of  missionary  success  lay  in  providing  a  thoroughly 
up-to-date  school  education.  Nothing  but  sheer 
ignorance  lay  at  the  bottom  of  the  opposition, 
prejudice,  and  hatred  of  the  people ;  and  mental 
enlightenment  would  have  to  be  considered  as 
important  an  evangelistic  agency  as  healing.  They 
were  confirmed  in  their  view  by  the  example  of  the 
Safed  Girls’  School,  which  was  properly  graded 
from  the  kindergarten  department  upwards,  and 
was  attracting  pupils  from  all  classes  ;  it  had  then 
no  scholars,  66  being  Moslem,  24  Jewesses,  and 
20  Christians,  and  all  credit  was  given  to  the 
teachers  for  its  success.  But  the  general  con¬ 
clusion  of  the  deputies  was  that  in  view  of  the 
increased  and  increasing  efficiency  of  rival  institu¬ 
tions  the  Mission  schools  would  either  have  to 
be  given  up  or  reorganized  on  a  more  modern 
basis.  The  imitators  had  reached  and  outstripped 


224 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

their  models,  and  the  models  would  have  to  set  a 
new  standard. 

All  this  the  Doctor  had  been  pressing  on  the 
Committee,  and  it  was  satisfactory  to  have  the 
situation  realized  and  strongly  presented  to  the 
Church  in  Scotland.  In  a  more  hopeful  spirit, 
but,  as  he  said,  dead  tired,”  he  left  on  furlough. 
No  sooner,  however,  was  he  home  than  he  began 
itinerating  and  addressing  meetings  in  the  interests 
of  the  Mission.  At  the  General  Assembly,  when 
Dr.  Wells  was  Moderator,  he  gave  one  of  the 
racy  speeches  which  always  fascinated  his 
audiences.  He  told  how,  since  he  had  first  ad¬ 
dressed  the  Assembly,  a  quarter  of  a  million  people 
had  visited  the  out-patient  department  in  Tiberias, 
and  that  since  the  hospital  had  been  opened,  about 
5000  nad  been  treated  and  had  the  Gospel  preached 
to  them.  He  intimated  that  he  had  quite  a  long 
list  of  “  wants,”  at  which  there  was  laughter. 

“  Oh,”  he  said,  “  I  have  no  fear  of  getting  them  ! 
But  I  do  wish  that  in  connection  with  the  ex¬ 
tension  scheme  I  could  have  a  maternity  hospital. 

I  have  seen  such  misery  and  distress  that  it  has  been 
laid  on  my  heart  to  plead  for  it  at  this  time.”  The 
result  was  a  cheque  for  £1000  from  an  appreciative 
listener  towards  a  maternity  department. 

After  visiting  New  England,  the  home  of  Mrs. 
Torrance,  he  returned  to  Tiberias  in  1912,  and 
threw  himself  with  renewed  zest  into  the  work. 
Late  in  the  year  an  outbreak  of  cholera  occurred, 
the  conditions  being  reminiscent  of  the  horrors  of 
1902.  Having  been  carefully  studying  the  subject, 
he  was  able  to  save  many  lives  by  new  methods  of 


< 
E- 
P i 
< 
> 


S 

s 

< 


CO  ^ 

to  o 


co 

►— < 

Pi 

< 

CO 

CO 


<3 


< 

p 

W 
*— * 

Pi  O 
< 
< 

O'  CO 

a  l"H 

H 

C/5 


C/3 


A  Tiberias  Street  after  the  War  Dr.  Torrance  (in  White  Overall)  talking  to 

the  Trades  People 


“DEAD  TIRED 


225 


treatment.  The  authorities  also  were  more 
amenable  to  reason  and  willing  to  follow  his  direc¬ 
tions.  At  his  request  they  sent  round  a  bellman  to 
reassure  the  people  and  tell  them  to  eat  only  food 
that  had  been  boiled  or  roasted,  and  water  that  had 
gone  “through  the  fire.”  They  obeyed  like  children, 
and  only  a  hundred  of  those  who  were  attacked 
succumbed,  and  they  belonged  to  the  poorest  class, 
who  were  badly  nourished.  To  arrest  the  disease 
amongst  that  class,  and  also  to  relieve  the  distress, 
a  soup  kitchen  was  established  and  kept  going  all 
winter.  Of  all  the  recipients  the  native  Christians 
were  the  most  ungrateful  ;  too  proud  to  come  to 
the  hospital  themselves,  they  would  actually  send 
messages  asking  the  missionaries  to  deliver  the  food 
at  their  houses. 

This  visitation  was  but  an  incident  in  a  life  of 
incessant  toil.  The  difficulty  in  the  medical  de¬ 
partment  was  to  restrict  the  number  of  patients. 
For  the  nine  months  of  1912  there  were  385  in¬ 
patients  and  12,956  attendances  in  the  out-patient 
department,  where  the  Doctor  performed  184 
operations  unaided  except  with  the  help  of  the 
nurses.  High  fees  for  attendance  and  medicine 
had  no  effect  ;  in  one  week  in  1913  the  receipts 
from  this  source  were  over  £40,  while  the  income 
for  the  year  amounted  to  £650,  the  largest,  so  far, 
in  the  history  of  the  Mission. 

It  was  a  striking  proof  of  the  value  placed  on 
the  Doctor’s  work,  not  only  by  the  people  but 
by  his  professional  brethren,  for  they  continued 
to  send  him  all  their  serious  cases. 


*5 


226 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


IX.  THE  ADVANCE  OF  THE  JEW 

1912-14 

The  chief  theme  of  interest  during  these  years  was 
the  remarkable  advance  being  made  by  the  Jews 
in  trade  and  commerce  along  the  coast  and  through¬ 
out  the  interior.  “  In  spite  of  difficulties  which, 
however,  are  diminishing,”  wrote  Dr.  Torrance, 
“  they  are  increasing  in  numbers  ;  they  are  obtain¬ 
ing  possession  of  more  and  more  land  ;  they  are 
most  eager  for  education  ;  they  are  foremost  in 
modern  methods  of  agriculture  and  general  culture, 
and  it  seems  as  if  ere  long  the  strongest  power  in 
Palestine  will  be  Jewish  again.  Moslems  and 
Christians  are  emigrating  from  Palestine,  while 
Jews  are  emigrating  into  it.”  Every  shop  and  house 
in  Tiberias  that  was  for  sale  passed  into  their 
hands,  as  well  as  much  of  the  land  in  the  vicinity. 

With  the  utmost  energy  they  were  erecting 
hospitals  and  adding  to  their  schools  and  developing 
their  efficiency.  Hebrew  was  taught  as  a  principal 
subject  and  a  living  tongue  —  the  language,  in 
accordance  with  the  Zionist  programme,  being 
now  in  everyday  use.  The  completeness  and 
thoroughness  of  the  education  given,  combined 
with  the  claims  of  racial  loyalty  and  solidarity, 
swept  practically  every  Jewish  child  into  the  schools. 
In  Tiberias  there  was  still  a  remnant  who  attended 
the  various  small  Talmudic  schools,  but  even  in 
this  conservative  backwater  the  spirit  of  change 
manifested  itself,  and  all  were  combined  into  one 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  THE  JEW 


227 


strong  Talmud  Torah  institution  in  opposition  to 
those  established  by  the  Alliance. 

The  example  of  the  Jews  continued  to  react 
on  the  other  sections  of  the  population.  Hitherto 
indifferent  to  the  position  of  women,  the  Moham¬ 
medans  were  beginning  to  realize  the  importance 
of  the  mother’s  influence  on  the  character  of  the 
race,  and  were  opening  schools  for  girls,  and  in  the 
absence  of  trained  teachers  were  actually  appointing 
those  educated  in  the  Mission  schools.  In  Safed 
the  Mission  school  was  too  strong  to  attack  or  be 
affected  by  threats  and  curses,  but  a  Moslem  school 
was  started  in  opposition.  It  was  significant  that 
of  Arabic  Bibles  and  portions  of  Scripture  disposed 
of  in  Tiberias  in  1910,  no  fewer  than  eighty  per 
cent,  were  sold  to  the  Moslems. 

The  Jewish  Mission  Committee,  as  well  as  the 
missionaries  on  the  spot,  were  now  alive  to  the 
situation  and  knew  how  to  meet  it,  but  they  were 
hampered  by  lack  of  funds.  Less  interest  continued 
to  be  taken  throughout  the  Church  in  the  work, 
and  the  annual  income  was  still  falling.  This  was 
inexplicable  in  face  of  what  was  being  done  in 
Budapest,  Constantinople,  and  Palestine.  The  in¬ 
difference  was  possibly  due  to  lack  of  knowledge  ; 
the  great  bulk  of  the  members  knew  nothing  of  the 
gallant  fight  going  on  in  these  centres,  or  of  the 
fascination  and  possibilities  of  the  service.  But 
the  Committee  did  their  best  with  the  means  at 
their  disposal. 

Miss  Major  left  the  hospital  to  marry  Mr. 
Semple.  She  had  done  good  work.  One  of  her 
self-imposed  duties  in  the  evenings  for  several 


228 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


years  had  been  to  instruct  the  Syrian  nurses  in  their 
profession,  and  as  a  result  the  first  certificates  of 
efficiency  given  by  the  hospital  had  been  presented 
to  three  of  the  probationers.  These  girls  were 
now  leaving  the  hospital  and  taking  up  positions 
on  an  equality  with  British  trained  nurses.  Mrs. 
Semple  continued  her  interest  in  the  women  and 
girls.  One  of  the  drawbacks  of  the  work  was  the 
fact  that  when  patients  or  pupils  returned  to  their 
homes,  they  had  no  occupation  to  relieve  the 
monotony  of  their  lives  or  to  enable  them  to  earn 
a  position  of  independence.  Some  did  lace-work, 
and,  by  toiling  from  morning  till  night,  were  able 
to  earn  on  an  average  about  5s.  per  week.  Mrs. 
Semple  held  a  class  weekly,  at  which  she  taught 
them  the  finer  and  more  profitable  class  of  work, 
and  endeavoured  to  bring  some  brightness  and 
sweetness  into  their  lives.  This  was  a  service  for 
which  the  women  were  grateful,  and  its  success 
indicated  its  possibilities  as  an  agency  of  the 
Mission. 

To  fill  the  vacant  post,  the  Committee  secured 
Miss  Reid,  who  had  been  an  honorary  nurse  at 
Hebron  ;  it  was  not  long  before  her  fine  character 
exercised  a  marked  influence  on  both  the  patients 
and  the  staff.  Like  others,  she  felt  attracted  by 
the  picturesque  oddity  of  the  people  : 

“  They  are  accustomed  to  wear  charms  of  different  kinds  to 
keep  off  the  ‘  evil  eye.’  One  woman  asked  for  a  Christian  charm, 
for  which  she  was  willing  to  pay  6s.  8d.  Another  asked  me 
to  beat  her  with  the  Bible  to  cure  her  !  We  had  one  Moslem 
man  in  the  hospital  for  a  long  time,  Job  by  name,  who  was 
strongly  averse  at  first  to  hear  about  the  Christian  religion. 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  THE  JEW 


229 


Gradually,  however,  his  attitude  changed,  and  shortly  before 
he  died  he  asked  to  have  something  about  Jesus  read  to  him, 
and  when  the  story  of  the  Crucifixion  was  told  him  slowly  and 
distinctly,  he  said  softly,  ‘  Yes,  I  have  sinned,  but  He  is  merciful.’ 
More  than  one  has  told  us  afterwards  that  they  prayed  to 
Jesus  before  their  operation  and  they  believed  that  He  did  help 
them.” 

Additional  help  came  in  the  person  of  one  in 
whom  the  Doctor  had  a  special  interest,  Miss  J .  R. 
George,  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  J.  A.  George,  the 
minister  to  whom  he  had  owed  so  much  in  his 
younger  days.  She  had  an  aptitude  for  languages, 
and  her  Arabic  instructor  declared  that  she  was 
the  best  pupil  he  had  ever  taught. 

And  then  came  to  the  Girls’  School  at  Tiberias, 
Miss  A.  G.  Irvine,  L.L.A.,  the  first  professionally 
qualified  European  headmistress.  Capable  and 
courageous,  and  possessing  initiative  and  organizing 
ability,  she  began  to  revolutionize  the  conditions, 
and  the  Doctor,  watching,  rejoiced  and  knew  that 
all  was  well.  She  began  with  a  roll  attendance  of 
one  hundred  and  seventeen  pupils,  but  there  was  not 
a  single  Jewess  among  them.  She  found  all  ex¬ 
tremely  bright  and  attractive,  without  the  shy  and 
self-conscious  manners  of  Scottish  schoolgirls. 
But  their  absolute  indifference  to  punctuality  or 
regularity  of  attendance  tried  her  sorely,  while  she 
was  often  taken  aback  by  the  interruptions  that 
occurred.  A  woman  would  come  and  take  away 
her  daughter  to  carry  the  bread  to  the  public  oven  ; 
another  would  send  for  her  girl  to  come  and  nurse 
her  father  while  she  went  shopping  ;  another 
would  hastily  bring  a  screaming  infant  to  be  com- 


230 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


forted  by  his  sister  ;  a  father  would  appear  with 
new  shoes  and  take  out  his  two  children  to  the  door¬ 
step  to  fit  these  on. 

Meanwhile  Mr.  Semple  was  quietly  reorganiz¬ 
ing  the  Boys’  School.  Happily  he  conceived  the 
idea  of  introducing  courses  in  elementary  science, 
which  proved  so  attractive  that  he  secured  a  supply 
of  scientific  apparatus  and  chemicals  and  illustrated 
his  teaching  with  experiments,  in  which  the  boys 
took  part.  It  was  the  first  time  that  such  a  line  of 
instruction  had  been  given  in  a  Palestine  school, 
and  it  turned  the  thoughts  of  the  pupils  towards 
new  directions  of  service  in  the  future.  These 
changes  so  strengthened  the  educational  side  of  the 
work  that  the  schools  flourished  in  spite  of  the 
formidable  opposition,  and  proved  that,  provided  the 
standard  of  efficiency  were  maintained,  they  could 

hold  their  own  and  continue  to  act  as  Christian 
agencies. 

The  purely  evangelistic  aspect  of  the  Mission 
was  as  ever  the  most  baffling  problem.  “  The  soil,” 
wrote  the  Doctor,  “  is  hard  and  stony  and  thorny, 
almost  beyond  imagination.  We  have  to  overcome 
the  legal  and  ceremonial  mind  of  the  Jews,  the 
proud  satisfaction  of  the  Moslem,  and  the  sickening 
superstition  of  the  Oriental  Christian,  and  an 
absence  of  a  sense  of  sin  on  the  part  of  all.” 

Miss  Faris,  the  Biblewoman,  often  came  across 
illustrations  of  these  traits.  Once,  for  instance, 
she  asked  a  bedouin  woman  : 

<<  ^re  y°u  a  sinner  ?  ” — “  No,”  indignantly, 

“  I  am  not  a  sinner.” 

‘  Do  you  tell  lies  ?  ” — “  Sometimes.” 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  THE  JEW 


231 


“  Do  you  curse  ?  ” — “  Yes,  many  times.” 

“  Swear  ?  ” — “  Very  often.” 

“  Steal  ?  ” — “  Well,  sometimes — olives.” 

“  Hate  ?  quarrel  ?  ” — “  Oh  yes,  very  often.” 

“  Well,  all  that  is  sin.”— “  That  is  sin  ?  ” 

“  Yes  ;  now  are  you  not  a  sinner  ?  ” — “  God 
knows  !  ” 

Another  patient  thought  that  prayer  was  in¬ 
efficacious  unless  Miss  Faris  knelt  beside  her  bed  ; 
one  was  satisfied  if  a  Bible  was  put  under  her  pillow. 
In  a  dim  sort  of  way  the  women  believed  in  God 
and  prayer  and  fasting,  but  had  no  clear  under¬ 
standing  of  anything.  “  And  the  girls  ?  ”  Miss 
Faris  was  once  asked.  “  Ah  !  ”  and  she  sighed  ; 
“  the  girls  are  as  ignorant  as  animals.” 

So  far  outward  results  had  been  negligible,  but 
none  could  tell  how  the  leaven  was  working  under 
the  surface.  The  nurses  often  saw  momentary 
glimpses  of  mind  and  heart  working  towards  the 
light.  Miss  Faris  knew  that  the  Gospel  story 
appealed  to  the  women,  knew  also  that  not  a  few 
came  to  trust  in  Jesus.  They  would  not  openly 
say  so  unless  they  were  dying.  One  who  suffered 
much  with  infinite  patience  only  revealed  her 
secret  as  she  was  passing  away. 

“  Amongst  our  hospital  services  and  addresses,” 
wrote  Mr.  Semple,  “  that  which  affords  most 
interest  and  is  to  all  seeming  most  effective,  is  the 
Ward  Service  (on  the  Sunday  afternoon  in  par¬ 
ticular)  which  the  Doctor  himself  conducts.  The 
patients,  one  and  all,  place  their  complete  confidence 
in  his  medical  skill  ;  and  when  he  turns  for  a  while 
from  the  care  of  their  bodies  to  speak  to  them 


232 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


concerning  themselves,  he  can  have  no  more 
interested  audience.  Frequently  in  an  under¬ 
tone,  frequently  outspoken,  we  hear  a  running 
commentary  kept  up  as  the  speaker  leads  the 
thought  onward  and  upward  to  Christ,  then  there 
is  a  sudden  silence  indicative  of  dissent  or  unwilling 
assent^  to  what  is  urged  ;  now  and  then  a  muttered 
‘  true  ’  is  heard  from  some  tired  sufferer.  There¬ 
fore  we  trust  and  pray.” 

It  was  felt  more  than  ever  that  the  absence  of 
village  evangelism  was  a  serious  defect  in  the  work. 
Patients  from  the  hospital  and  pupils  from  the 
schools  returned  to  their  homes  in  the  town  and 
villages,  where  the  influence  gained  over  them  was 
lost.  They  required  to  be  followed  up  and  rein¬ 
forced  in  their  impulse  to  lead  a  new  life,  but  there 
was  none  save  Cohen  suited  for  the  work,  and  he 
was  busy  with  other  duties.  After  seven  years’ 
patient  service,  he  was  ordained  in  1912  as  Qasis  or 
pastoi ,  and  as  a  mark  of  the  Committee’s  apprecia¬ 
tion,  he  was  invited  to  spend  a  furlough  in  Scotland. 
Phis  giatiffed  a  long-cherished  desire,  and  he  felt 
greatly  honoured  when  he  was  asked  to  address 
the  General  Assembly.  He  did  so  in  English— 
the  English,  he  intimated,  that  he  had  learned  at  the 
Mission  class  in  Safed.  He,  too,  made  an  appeal 

iur  a  House  of  Industry  where  the  inquirers  might 
find  employment. 

On  returning,  his  position  in  the  eyes  of  the 
town  people  was  much  improved,  and  he  had  un¬ 
rivalled  opportunities  of  meeting  and  talking  to  the 
Jews  both  in  the  waiting-room  and  by  the  wayside. 
One  day  he  encountered  an  Ashkenazi  member  of  the 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  THE  JEW 


233 


race  in  the  market,  who  stopped  him.  “  I  am  just 
returning  from  the  rabbi,”  he  said.  “  And  what 
business  had  you  with  him  ?  ”  asked  Cohen.  “  A 
diet  problem,”  replied  the  man,  and  described  it. 
“Now  how  would  you  have  solved  that  ?  ” 
“  Trepha  ”  (unlawful  or  forbidden),  Cohen 
promptly  replied,  giving  him  the  reason  and  the 
reference  to  the  code  of  laws.  T  he  Jew  looked  at 
him  admiringly.  “  That  is  exactly  how  the  rabbi 
solved  it.  What  a  pity  you  are  not  a  rabbi  !  ” 

‘  Don’t  trouble  with  such  trifles,”  was  the  reply  ; 
“  seek  the  truth  in  Jesus  ;  He  explains  and  fulfils 
the  law.”  Not  long  afterwards  the  Jew  appeared, 
and  bought  the  New  T  estament. 

Another  day  he  heard  one  Jew  say  to  another, 
“  The  problem  is  solved  ;  the  food  may  be  eaten.” 
He  asked  what  had  gone  wrong,  and  was  told  that  a 
woman  had  cooked  in  a  pot  set  apart  for  milk-food 
some  soup  made  with  meat.  The  pot  was  placed 
beside  two  others  containing  respectively  meat  and 
potatoes,  and  all  three  pots  had  been  stirred  with 
one  spoon.  Had  the  three  dinners  been  made  unfit 
to  be  eaten  ?  Appeal  on  this  solemn  question  had 
to  be  made  to  the  rabbi,  who,  ascertaining  that  five 
days  had  elapsed  since  the  first  pot  had  been  used 
for  cooking  milk-food,  decreed  that,  according  to 
the  law,  the  food  might  be  eaten,  and  the  offend¬ 
ing  first  pot  must  be  broken.  “  Was  he  right  ?  ” 
added  the  Jew,  with  a  desire  to  test  Mr.  Cohen’s 
knowledge.  “  The  rabbi’s  decision  was  correct 
according  to  the  code  on  the  subject  in  question,” 
was  the  reply,  “  but  the  rabbi  ought  to  have 
something  better  to  tell  the  people,  something 


234 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


more  satisfying  to  the  reason,  more  nourishing  to 
your  souls. ” 

What  Cohen  liked  most  was  his  Bible  class  of 
young  Jews  at  night  ;  he  felt  that  there  he  was 
handing  on  the  good  he  had  himself  received  twenty 
years  before  at  Safed.  What  the  extent  of  his 
influence  was,  no  one  could  estimate.  His  pupils 
were  scattered  throughout  the  world  ;  they  were 
in  England,  America,  Australia,  and  South  Africa, 
and  the  impulse  that  had  sent  them  abroad  and 
shaped  their  lives  was  derived  largely  from  the 
Galilee  Mission. 

The  Jewish  colonies  had  much  to  do  with 
quickening  the  life  of  the  country.  In  strong 
contrast  to  the  bloodless  town  Jews,  the  settlers 
were  manly,  self-reliant,  and  enterprising.  They 
were  industrious  tillers  of  the  soil,  cultivating  wheat, 
cotton,  and  other  products,  constructing  roads, 
building  bridges,  and  generally  creating  civilized 
conditions  in  the  districts  which  they  occupied. 
They  had  come  to  Palestine,  not  so  much  from 
religious  motives  as  for  political  and  economic 
reasons,  and  brought  with  them  that  breath  of 
scepticism  which  had  never  yet  chilled  the  orthodox 
atmosphere  of  the  Holy  Cities.  All  were  more  or 
less  tinged  with  the  spirit  of  rationalism,  and  many 
had  apparently  lost  faith  in  the  law  and  tradition. 
But  they  had  a  keen  appreciation  of  education, 
and  there  was  a  school  in  every  colony.  The 
moral  tone  in  the  settlements  also  was  high  ;  they 
were  the  only  places  in  Palestine  where  there  was  no 
crime  ;  for  over  thirty  years  not  a  single  case  had 
been  reported  from  them. 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  THE  JEW 


235 


The  patients  who  came  to  Tiberias  hospital 
were  always  ready  to  discuss  matters  of  religious 
belief,  and  they  told  the  Doctor  that  he  and  the 
other  missionaries  would  be  welcomed  in  their 
midst.  This  opened  up  a  new  field,  and  regular 
visitation  of  the  colonies  became  a  feature  of  the 
work.  With  all  their  openness  of  mind,  however, 
the  settlers  were  loyal  to  the  thought  and  customs  of 
their  race,  and  it  was  difficult  to  make  an  impression 
upon  them.  At  the  Waters  of  Merom,  Cohen,  as 
an  old  worker,  was  always  an  object  of  much  in¬ 
terest.  Strenuous  efforts  were  made  to  induce 
him  to  recant,  but  he  was  too  firmly  rooted  in  the 
truth  to  be  affected  by  either  blandishment  or 
threat. 

The  teachers  in  their  schools  were  well-educated 
and  thoroughly  trained,  and  had  a  wide  knowledge 
of  affairs.  “  Why  don’t  you  set  your  own  house 
in  order  ?  ”  they  would  say  to  the  missionaries. 
“  Have  we  ever  persecuted  your  faith  ?  ”  One, 
a  Russian  lady,  exclaimed,  “  Evangelists  are  you  ? 
Well,  why  not  evangelize  the  Christians  ?  ” 

“  But,  madam,”  was  the  mild  reply,  “  all  good 
Christians  condemn  religious  persecution  and  in¬ 
tolerance.” 

It  was  the  common  indictment,  and  the  sting 
of  the  words  lay  in  their  truth.  The  sum  of 
Cohen’s  experience  was  expressed  in  one  sentence  : 
“  The  Jews  interpret  Christ  and  Christianity  not 
in  the  light  of  the  New  Testament,  but  as  they  see 
it  practised  in  the  lives  of  Christians.”  As  Dr. 
Alfred  Edersheim,  the  Budapest  convert,  also  said, 
“  That  which  I  hated  was  not  Christianity.  What 


236 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


I  hated — what  most  Jews  have  learned  to  hate — 
was  the  unjust  treatment,  the  insult,  the  oppression 
which  the  Christian  meted  out  to  the  Jew.” 

The  year  1914  found  the  Doctor  still  without 
an  assistant  ;  no  qualified  man  could  be  found 
either  in  Syria  or  Scotland.  He  was  in  indifferent 
health,  and  was  wrestling  alone  with  a  paralysing 
amount  of  medical  work,  attending  to  endless 
practical  details,  planning  extensions  and  installing 
the  new  sanitation,  electric  lighting,  and  other 
features  which  had  been  approved  of  by  the  Com¬ 
mittee.  One  could  not  but  be  impressed  with  the 
difficulty  of  the  situation  as  well  as  the  resolution 
and  courage  with  which  it  was  met.  “  I  have 
never  read  braver  documents  than  these,”  said  Dr. 
(now  Professor)  A.  B.  Macaulay  in  the  General 
Assembly,  alluding  to  the  reports  from  the  field  at 
this  time. 

The  strain  of  the  ordinary  work  was  accentuated 
by  the  demands  of  a  daily  stream  of  tourists,  who 
not  only  often  required  professional  assistance  but 
accommodation  as  well,  since  “  there  was  no  room 
for  them  in  the  inn.”  It  was  not  that  the  Doctor 
was  not  glad  to  meet  them,  but  being  usually  with¬ 
out  an  assistant  it  was  difficult  to  combine  social 
duties  with  his  medical  and  administrative  work. 
The  time  set  apart  for  visitors  was  the  tea-hour, 
when  they  would  gather  on  the  veranda  and  enjoy 
a  talk  with  the  Doctor  and  admire  the  beautiful 
view  of  the  Lake  and  Mount  Hermon.  Many  a 
distinguished  personage  had  sat  there  during  the 
long  years.  Princes  who  were  now  on  thrones, 
Dukes  and  Earls,  Ambassadors,  financiers,  million- 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  THE  JEW  237 

aires,  authors,  politicians,  men  and  women  of  every 
class  and  type,  had  listened  to  the  Doctor  s  ex*" 
position  of  the  features  of  the  landscape,  for  few 
had  a  more  intimate  knowledge  of  their  sacred 
associations.  Many  he  accompanied  to  the  various 
scenes  of  interest,  and  to  have  him  was  to  possess  a 
passport  to  the  favour  and  hospitality  of  the  people. 
Some  of  his  visitors  gave  donations  to  the  work  ; 
others,  like  Miss  Helen  Gould,  endowed  beds  in 
the  hospital ;  the  majority  passed  on,  leaving  no 
practical  expression  of  interest,  but  carrying  with 
them,  as  did  all,  a  profound  admiration  for  the 
beneficent  service  being  done,  and  for  those  who 
were  doing  it.  u  Not  easy  work  is  done  there, 
wrote  Professor  Dalman.  £  Romantic  ideas  about 
service  in  the  Holy  Land  soon  fade  under  the 
burning  sun  of  a  shadowless  country.  Only  whole¬ 
hearted  faith  enables  men  to  work  with  fevered 
veins  and  aching  head.” 

This  year  amongst  the  visitors  were  Lord  and 
Lady  Bryce  and  Mr.  Morgenthau,  the  American 
Ambassador  to  Turkey,  who  was  a  Jew.  During 
their  stay  a  party  of  American  students  passed 
through  and  proceeded  to  walk  to  Mount  Tabor. 
One  was  shot  at  and  wounded  by  bedouin  shepheras, 
who  had  demanded  bakhshish.  While  some  went 
forward  to  secure  help,  two  returned  to  Tiberias, 
leaving  the  wounded  man  with  a  companion.  Dr. 
Torrance  informed  the  Governor,  and  as  he  himself 
was  busy  with  the  clinic,  M^r.  Semple  set  out  with  a 
donkey  and  stretcher.  The  Doctor  followed  later. 
Next  day  they  came  upon  the  two  men,  amongst 
a  waste  of  rocks  and  thistles,  struggling  towards 


238 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


Tiberias.  With  them  was  a  bedouin  woman  who 
had  practically  saved  the  wounded  man’s  life  by 
attending  to  him  during  the  night  and  bringing 
him  food  and  milk.  The  Governor  seized  her, 
forced  her  arms  behind  her  back  and  twisted  them 
until  she  sci earned  with  pain,  his  object  being  to 
extract  a  confession  from  her  regarding  the  assail¬ 
ants.  She  insisted  that  she  knew  nothing  of  the 
shooting  and  had  come  by  accident  upon  the  men. 
When  the  hospital  was  reached  the  Doctor  ex¬ 
tracted  the  bullet,  and  the  patient  made  a  good 
recovery.  The  fact  that  the  American  Ambassador 
was  in  the  town  spurred  the  police  to  action,  and  they 
rounded  up  all  the  bedouin  in  the  countryside,  and 
put  as  many  into  prison  as  the  building  could  hold. 

Lord  Bryce  showed  his  usual  alert  inquiring 
mind,  and  questioned  the  Doctor  closely  regarding 
the  country  and  its  problems.  They  had  a  long 
discussion  on  missions,  in  which  Mr.  M^orgenthau 
took  part.  The  Doctor  was  struck  by  the  latter’s 
broad  and  sympathetic  outlook.  After  they  had 
talked  for  a  time  on  the  various  faiths,  the  Am¬ 
bassador  remarked,  “We  all  want  to  get  to  the 
same  goal.  It  is  just  like  going  up  Mount  Tabor. 
We  want  to  get  to  the  top.  You  are  going  up  one 
side  ;  we  are  going  up  the  other.  As  long  as  we 
maintain  our  ambition,  and  as  long  as  our  eyes  are 
directed  to  the  summit,  we  shall  all  meet  there  in 
time.  Both  Lord  Bryce  and  Mr.  Morgenthau 
paid  a  high  tribute  to  the  value  of  the  work  which 
the  Doctor  was  doing,  and  the  latter  thanked  him 

specially  for  the  aid  he  was  rendering  his  co¬ 
religionists. 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  THE  JEW  239 

“  Riding  up  the  steep  hills  which  mount  west¬ 
ward  from  the  Sea  of  Galilee/’  writes  Dr.  Bliss  in 
The  Development  of  Palestine  Exploration ,  “  I  met, 
one  morning  in  spring,  a  poor  Arab  walking  beside 
a  donkey  which  carried  his  sick  wife.  He  called  me 
to  stop  ;  he  seized  my  bridle :  ‘  Did  I  know  of  one 
who  healed  at  Tiberias  ?  Was  he  wise  ?  Was  he 
kind  ?  Would  he  cure  the  woman  ?  ’  As  I  rode 
on  towards  Nazareth,  having  reassured  the  man,  I 
fell  to  thinking  that  just  such  a  scene  might  have 
been  enacted  on  that  very  road  in  the  days  of  Him 
in  Whose  name  the  missionary  doctor  at  Tiberias 
ministers  to  the  suffering  to-day.  Far  down  every 
road  leading  to  the  Sea  of  Galilee  there  flocked  men 
and  women  bearing  the  sick,  half  in  doubt,  half  in 
hope  that  One  Who  healed,  Whom  they  knew  only 
by  hearing,  might  be  gracious  to  them  also.” 

In  May  the  Doctor  wrote :  “  The  work  is  now 
quite  beyond  me,”  and  when  the  hospital  was 
closed  for  the  hot  months  he  was  “  dead  beat.” 
But  the  affairs  of  the  Mission  and  of  Palestine  and 
of  the  whole  world  were  soon  to  be  thrown  into 
the  great  melting-pot  of  the  war,  and  the  Doctor  s 
troubles,  like  the  troubles  of  every  one,  were  to  be 
engulfed  in  the  seething  cauldron,  and  for  a  time 
forgotten. 


V 


Patient  and  Baby  The  Explosions  of  British  Shells  watched  by  Sister  Frieda  at  El  Arish 


The  New  Properties  at  Safed 


Afternoon  Tea  on  the  Verandah 
Mount  Hermon,  snow-capped,  lies  in  the 
distance,  but  is  too  far  away  to  be  visible 
in  the  photograph 


PART  FOUR 

I.  TRAGEDY 

1914-17 

The  constitutional  regime  in  the  Ottoman  Empire 
had  brought  no  improvement  in  the  public  con¬ 
dition  of  the  country.  The  war,  first  with  Italy 
and  then  with  the  Balkan  States,  ending  in  humilia¬ 
tion,  had  impoverished  the  people,  and  Palestine 
was  not  the  least  wretched  and  discontented  of  the 
provinces.  Business  was  stagnant,  the  price  of 
food  and  labour  high,  and  so  unpopular  were  the 
military  service  regulations  that  the  best  youth  of 
the  country  were  stealing  away  overseas  to  escape 
being  drafted  into  the  army.  The  flame  of 
fanaticism  flared  up  here  and  there,  and  rumour 
was  rife  of  possible  risings  against  foreigners  and 
especially  the  Christians. 

While  Turkey  was  being  defeated  in  the  field 
she  was  playing  a  dubious  game  in  international 
politics.  Britain  and  Germany  were  courting  her 
favour  at  Constantinople,  and  as  success  swayed 
now  to  one  side,  now  to  the  other,  those  living 
in  the  country  could  observe  visible  evidence  of  the 
process.  In  Palestine  it  became  clear  finally  that 
Germany  had  out-manoeuvred  Britain.  German 

16 


242 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


engineers  began  to  overrun  the  land.  German 
officers  took  charge  of  the  army  and  introduced 
European  methods  of  training.  Dr.  Torrance  met 
all  manner  of  Germans  in  Tiberias,  and  there  was 
no  mistaking  their  attitude.  It  was  that  of  men  in 
possession.  It  became  well  known  that  prepara¬ 
tions  had  been  made  for  possible  emergencies.  To 
every  town  and  village  had  come  secret  orders 
which  were  to  be  made  public  only  when  notifica¬ 
tion  was  sent  from  headquarters,  to  the  effect  that 
every  man  between  twenty-four  and  forty,  able 
to  bear  arms,  was  immediately  to  present  himself 
at  the  nearest  military  depot  with  ten  days’  pro¬ 
visions. 

When  Germany  began  hostilities  martial  law 
was  proclaimed  throughout  Palestine,  and  the 
forces  were  mobilized.  Three  of  the  hospital 
staff  at  Tiberias,  the  dispenser,  Mohammad,  and  the 
porter,  were  swept  off.  Weeping  and  wailing  were 
heard  on  every  side.  The  banks  closed  and  no 
money  was  available.  As  the  Doctor  had  just  paid 
in  his  quarterly  remittance  he  was  left  without 
funds  ;  but  friendly  Jews  lent  him  money,  and  pro¬ 
vided  fodder  for  his  horse.  Word  came  from  the 
coast  that  the  steamship  service  was  disorganized, 
and  the  cost  of  imported  goods  became  prohibitive. 
From  the  cheers  that  greeted  the  news  of  the 
German  victories  it  was  not  difficult  to  know 
which  side  the  populace  favoured.  Still  the  Doctor 
was  hopeful  that  Turkey  would  not  be  involved  in 
the  conflict. 

On  7th  August  the  closing  exhibition  of  the 
Girls’  School  at  Safed  was  being  held,  and  the 


TRAGEDY 


243 


company  were  enjoying  the  hospitality  of  Miss 
Jones  in  the  garden,  when  Dr.  Torrance  was  handed 
a  telegram  from  the  Consul-General,  intimating 
that  a  state  of  war  had  existed  between  Britain  and 
Germany  since  the  4th.  “We  were  overawed  by 
the  news,”  he  wrote.  Mobilization  went  on. 
Thousands  of  men  were  kept  hanging  about  the 
depots  waiting  enrolment,  their  food  became  ex¬ 
hausted,  and  there  were  no  fresh  supplies.  Horses, 
mules,  provisions,  clothes  began  to  be  ruthlessly 
commandeered  from  every  town  and  village.  Work 
stopped,  distress  prevailed,  hunger  and  starvation 
ravaged  Tiberias.  After  taking  stock  the  Doctor 
calculated  that  he  would  be  able  to  hold  on  for  at 
least  a  month.  He  was  alone,  Mr.  Semple  and  Miss 
Irvine  being  on  furlough,  and  his  family  at  Safed 
with  Miss  Jones  and  Miss  Gwladys  Jones.  Miss 
George  and  Sister  Frieda  were  at  Bludan,  near 
Damascus,  where  the  former  had  been  studying 
the  language,  but  they  were  now  hastening  back  to 
Tiberias. 

On  28th  August  Dr.  Anderson  of  the  Church 
Missions  to  Jews  received  orders  from  London 
to  return  immediately,  and  left.  On  7th  Sep¬ 
tember  a  special  messenger  reached  Dr.  Torrance, 
with  a  strong  recommendation  from  the  Consul- 
General  to  follow  his  example.  Although  he  had 
kept  the  Committee  in  Scotland  in  touch  with  what 
was  happening,  no  reply  came  to  his  cables,  and 
gathering  together  his  party — Mrs.  Torrance,  three 
children  and  nurse,  Miss  Jones,  Miss  Gwladys 
Jones,  and  Miss  George — he  made  preparations 
for  leaving.  This  was  not  easy,  for  the  townspeople 


244 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


had  learned  to  lean  on  his  sympathy  and  judgment, 
and  they  gave  him  no  peace,  coming  to  him  by  day 
and  night  for  advice  and  assistance  on  all  sorts  of 
matters.  But  he  fixed  up  the  necessary  salaries, 
arranged  for  a  supply  of  provisions  until  November, 
gave  directions  for  the  reopening  of  the  schools 
whatever  happened,  appointed  Sister  Frieda  to 
carry  on  the  medical  work  as  far  as  possible,  and 
gave  her  the  keys  of  the  buildings.  Being  a  Swiss 
subject  she  would  be  exempt  from  molestation  in 
the  event  of  Turkey  taking  part  in  the  struggle, 
and  she  had  an  aunt,  a  German  lady,  Mrs.  Mueller, 
in  Nazareth,  with  whom  she  could,  if  need  be,  find 
protection. 

But  so  sure  was  the  Doctor  that  Turkey  would 
find  it  to  her  advantage  to  side  with  the  Allies,  and 
that  he  would  shortly  be  back,  that  he  packed  only  a 
handbag,  and  left  all  his  belongings — his  clothes,  his 
manuscripts,  the  valuable  articles  he  had  collected 
during  his  stay  in  the  country,  including  a  cabinet 
of  rare  coins,  and  gold  and  silver  objects. 

The  party  travelled  lightly,  and  after  consider¬ 
able  trouble  and  anxiety  succeeded  in  reaching 
Haifa,  Port  Said,  and  England. 

With  his  insatiable  appetite  for  work  the  Doctor 
at  once  took  a  position  in  Glasgow  Western 
Infirmary ;  but  when  Turkey  cast  in  her  lot  with 
Germany  and  Austria  he  applied  to  the  Scottish 
Command  for  a  commission  in  the  R.A.M.C.  He 
was  above  military  age  and  there  was  delay.  Grow¬ 
ing  impatient  he  went  direct  to  the  War  Office 
in  London  and  offered  his  services.  The  officials 
were  delighted  to  see  him,  and  within  a  few  days 


TRAGEDY 


245 


he  was  directed  to  proceed  to  Scottish  Head¬ 
quarters,  where  he  received  a  commission  as 
Lieutenant,  and  became  Resident  Officer  in 
command  of  Oakbank  War  Hospital,  containing 
250  beds.  The  work  was  as  exacting  as  that  in 
Tiberias,  and,  to  him,  very  sad.  Fortunately  he 
was  near  the  little  home  which  had  been  established 
in  Glasgow.  These,  however,  were  sombre  years 
for  every  one,  and  do  not  bear  recalling.  One 
bright  incident  was  the  graduation,  in  1916,  as 
M.B.,  Ch.B.,  of  his  son  Herbert,  a  distinguished 
student,  who  also  received  a  commission  in  the 
R.A.M.C. 

The  Doctor’s  thoughts  dwelt  unceasingly  upon 
Tiberias.  What  was  happening  there  ?  From 
time  to  time  scraps  of  intelligence  filtered  through. 
After  being  left  alone,  Sister  Frieda  carried  on  the 
out-patient  department,  attending  to  as  many  as 
120  cases  a  day,  performing  minor  operations, 
and  in  the  afternoon  visiting  midwifery  patients 
in  the  town.  The  authorities  seized  the  school- 
house  and  turned  it  into  a  Moslem  school. 
Then  the  military  appeared  at  the  hospital  and,  in 
spite  of  her  protests,  relieved  her  of  the  keys  and 
took  possession.  They  forbade  her  even  to  go  to 
her  own  quarters  or  remove  a  single  article,  and 
turned  her  out  as  she  was.  The  hotel  in  the  town 
was  run  by  Germans,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grossman, 
who  had  the  kindest  of  hearts,  and  were  friends 
of  the  Mission  and  helpful  neighbours  of  the  Doctor 
and  the  staff.  To  them  she  went,  and  they  pro¬ 
vided  her  with  a  room  and  made  her  comfortable. 

Undismayed  by  her  experience  she  opened  a 


246 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


clinic  in  the  rear  of  the  Bible  Depot,  to  which 
patients  flocked  to  the  number  of  250  a  day.  She 
made  many  attempts  to  obtain  her  belongings  from 
the  hospital,  but  was  unsuccessful  until  she  lodged  a 
complaint  with  the  Commander  at  Nazareth,  when 
she  was  allowed  to  take  away  only  what  she  could 
claim  as  her  own.  Her  little  store  of  money 
running  done,  she  was  penniless.  “  I  don’t  know,” 
she  said  afterwards,  “  what  would  have  become 
of  me  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  Grossmans,  who 
helped  me  in  all  my  difficulties.  The  distress  in 
the  town  was  very  great ;  it  was  a  mystery  how  the 
poor  got  their  daily  bread,  and  I  could  do  so  little 
to  relieve  them.”  Locusts  had  ravaged  the  country, 
and  there  were  no  vegetables  or  fruit  coming  into 
the  market. 

In  July  1915  she  went  to  Nazareth,  where  she 
lived  with  her  aunt.  Mrs.  Mueller’s  name  will  long 
be  honoured  by  Galilee  missionaries.  She  had 
considerable  influence,  and  being  a  woman  of 
spirit  and  courage  she  fought  many  a  battle  on 
behalf  of  British  interests. 

Dr.  Scrimgeour,  who  had  taken  his  family  to 
Egypt,  found  it  impossible  to  return,  and  his  two 
nurses,  who  had  courageously  resolved  to  remain, 
were  commandeered  by  the  Turks  to  attend  to 
their  sick  and  wounded.  They  were  befriended 
by  Mrs.  Mueller  and  Sister  Frieda.  Both  were 
earnest  and  devoted  missionaries  :  one,  Miss  Croft, 
died  before  the  end  of  the  war  ;  and  the  other,  Miss 
Johncock,  in  1920.  Sister  Frieda  also  worked  in  the 
Turkish  hospitals  ;  they  were  full,  and  the  condi¬ 
tions  were  deplorable.  As  she  was  unable  to  live 


TRAGEDY 


247 


on  her  pay  of  16s.  per  month,  she  asked  that  she 
might  be  transferred  to  the  Turkish-German  base 
of  operations  against  Egypt,  and  was  sent  to  Beer- 
sheba  ;  thence  she  was  commandeered  for  tent 
work  at  el-Arish,  a  little  mud-town  amongst  the 
sands  on  the  desert  track.  It  was  within  the  fighting 
zone  ;  there  was  constant  shell-fire,  bombing  by 
aeroplanes,  and  rattle  of  machine  guns,  and,  in 
addition  to  these  nerve-racking  factors,  she  was  the 
object  of  suspicion  and  dislike  to  German  nurses 
who,  knowing  she  had  been  in  a  Scottish  hospital, 
regarded  her  as  a  spy.  “  It  does  not  matter  to  me 
whom  I  nurse,”  she  protested  to  the  German  officers 
when  she  was  turned  away  from  the  British  patients. 
They  agreed  with  her,  and  treated  her  with  all 
courtesy.  Conditions  grew  worse  ;  both  food  and 
water  were  scarce  and  bad,  and  she  was  attacked 
by  typhus.  Medical  supplies  were  scanty— most 
of  them  had  been  looted  by  the  Turks  from  mission 
hospitals,  including  that  at  Tiberias,  and  sent  down 
in  bulk,  with  the  result  that  army  doctors  received 
boxes  of  microscopes  and  gynaecological  instru¬ 
ments  for  the  care  of  the  wounded  soldiers  !  She 
struggled  heroically  on,  but  her  nervous  system 
broke  down  under  the  terrible  strain  and  hardship, 
and  she  was  sent  back  to  Nazareth,  and  then  to 
Damascus  and  finally  to  Germany,  where  she  re- 
mained  a  year  before  proceeding  to  Switzerland. 

A  more  tragic  fate  befell  Mr.  Cohen.  He  was 
called  to  the  army, but,  as  a  pastor,  gained  exemption, 
and  continued  to  carry  on  the  evangelistic  work  of 
the  Mission.  Services  were  held  in  his  house,  and 
here  he  dispensed  the  communion  to  “  two  or 


248 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


t  rC\  *?athered  ln  the  name  of  Christ.  The 
Jewish  Mission  Committee  took  infinite  trouble  to 

send  him  remittances,  but  he  often  found  it  difficult 
to  make  ends  meet,  and  he  began  to  engage  in 
passport  photography,  which  helped  him  a  little 
It  proved,  however,  a  fatal  step.  On  some  accusa- 
lon  in  connection  with  a  passport  he  was  arrested, 
imprisoned,  and  tortured,  being  beaten  on  the  face 
and  on  the  soles  of  his  feet  until  he  became  un¬ 
conscious,  but  was  finally  acquitted  of  the  charge 
An  innocent  remark  which  he  let  fall  later  aroused 
Iresh  suspicion,  and  he  was  again  arrested  on  a 
charge  of  espionage,  imprisoned,  sent  to  Nazareth 
lor  punishment,  and  then  banished  to  Damascus. 
It  says  much  for  the  kindness  and  loyalty  of  the 
Jews  that  they  helped  him  in  his  extremity  along 
wnh  then-  co-rehgionists.  He  was  last  seen  by  a 
Scottish  officer  in  Asia  Minor  tramping  with  other 
prisoners  to  Constantinople.  Attacked  by  typhus 
he  died  in  a  military  hospital  in  Constantinople.  It 

was  a  melancholy  ending  to  a  life  of  high  courage 
and  noble  service. 

Mohammad,  who  joined  the  army, proved  physic- 

?,  y  andwas  sent  t0  work  on  the  roads  beyond 
the  Jordan  The  doctors  in  the  Mission  buildings 

-  or  aiter  being  a  Turkish  Serai,  or  Government 

oifice,  for  a  time,  they  were  turned  into  war 

hospitals— learning  that  he  knew  how  to  run  the 

motor-engine,  sent  for  him.  “  If  you  cannot  get 

away,  desert,  was  the  laconic  message  he  received. 

He  was  able  to  return,  and  proved  the  most  useful 
servant  about  the  place. 

Isaac  suffered  privations  like  others  of  his  race. 


THE  JEWISH  DAWN 


249 


During  a  typhus  epidemic,  the  Turks  waged  war 
on  the  flowing  locks  of  the  Jews,  and  Isaac’s  neatly 
trimmed  beard  was  cut  off — an  indignity  which  he 
greatly  resented. 


II.  THE  JEWISH  DAWN 
1917 

The  brilliant  advance  of  the  British  troops  from 
Egypt  into  Palestine  formed  one  of  the  most 
dramatic  developments  of  the  war.  It  coincided 
with  an  announcement  which  w'as,  to  the  Jews, 
wonderful  and  even  startling  in  its  solemn  possi¬ 
bilities.  Their  age-long  dream,  that  had  seemed 
so  hopeless  of  realization,  appeared  to  be  on  the 
point  of  accomplishment.  For  some  time  it  had 
been  known  to  a  few  that  the  British  Government 
was  ready  to  take  advantage  of  the  turn  of  events 
in  favour  of  the  race,  and  on  2nd  November  1917, 
Lord  Balfour,  on  its  behalf,  addressed  the  follow¬ 
ing  communication  to  Lord  Rothschild  : 

“  His  Majesty’s  Government  view  with  favour  the  establish¬ 
ment  in  Palestine  of  a  National  Home  for  the  Jewish  people, 
and  will  use  their  best  endeavours  to  facilitate  the  achievement 
of  this  object,  it  being  clearly  understood  that  nothing  shall  be 
done  which  may  prejudice  the  civil  and  religious  rights  of 
existing  non- Jewish  communities  in  Palestine  or  the  rights  and 
political  status  enjoyed  by  the  Jews  in  any  other  country.” 

When,  in  the  following  month,  Jerusalem  was 
captured  and  General  Allenby  entered  the  Holy 


250 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


City  on  foot,  the  Jews  knew  that  the  miracle  had 
happened  at  last.  Not  the  least  gratifying  feature 
of  the  campaign  to  them  was  the  fact  that  Jewish 
battalions  had  taken  part  in  the  liberation  of  the 
land.  It  was  notable,  indeed,  that  men  of  various 
races  and  creeds — Britons  (including  Australians 
and  New  Zealanders),  Indians,  Arabs,  Armenians, 
West  Indian  negroes,  and  Algerians  formed  that 
victorious  army. 

In  the  stress  of  exalted  emotion  occasioned  by 
these  events  and  the  reaction  after  centuries  of 
crushing  misery,  the  Jews  read  larger  meanings 
into  the  Declaration  than  it  contained,  and  said  and 
wrote  many  things  which  cool  reflection  showed 
to  have  been  unwise.  They  mistook  equal  rights 
for  sovereign  privileges.  They  saw  themselves 
in  possession  of  Palestine,  organizing  a  Jewish 
State  and  establishing  their  old  customs  and  culture, 
forgetting  for  the  moment  that  there  was  a  very 
large  population  of  natives,  both  Moslem  and 
Christian,  to  be  taken  into  account.  This,  it  was 
true,  was  not  the  attitude  of  all  Jews  in  Western 
lands.  A  considerable  number  there  still  viewed 
with  distaste  the  creation  of  a  separate  Jewish  nation¬ 
ality,  believing  that  Judaism  was  merely  a  system  of 
thought  and  did  not  necessitate  segregation  and 
isolation  from  the  communities  of  the  world. 
Nevertheless  they,  too,  were  grateful  to  the  British 
Government  for  its  generous  action,  for  it  had 
brought  to  an  end  the  feeling  that  they  were  a 
homeless  race ;  it  had  given  them  a  charter  of 
renationalization  ;  it  had  provided  them  with  an 
opportunity,  if  they  cared  to  accept  it,  of  building 


THE  JEWISH  DAWN 


251 


up  in  their  ancient  land  a  racial  centre  of  social 
and  spiritual  activity. 

No  section  of  the  Christian  community  rejoiced 
more  at  the  Declaration  than  the  societies  and 
missionaries  working  amongst  the  Jews,  but  they 
made  sure  that  in  the  new  dispensation  all  faiths 
would  have  equal  rights  and  the  fullest  freedom, 
and  that  the  missionary  enterprise  would  have  the 
same  opportunity  as  it  had  hitherto  enjoyed. 

The  Jewish  Mission  Committee  of  the  United 
Free  Church  learnt  first  through  the  Foreign  Office 
of  the  state  of  the  Mission  property  in  Galilee. 
All  the  buildings  in  Tiberias  were  in  fair  repair, 
but  had  been  stripped  bare.  The  Turks  had  looted 
all  the  medical  stores  and  instruments,  the  hospital 
beds,  the  school  equipment,  and  most  of  the  furniture 
in  the  two  dwelling-houses,  along  with  every  article 
of  interest  and  value  which  the  Doctor  had  col¬ 
lected  during  his  sojourn  in  the  land,  and  all  his 
manuscripts  and  books.  In  Safed  a  road  had 
been  driven  through  the  Mission,  the  houses  had 
been  despoiled,  Mr.  Semple’s  valuable  library 
of  books  had  been  scattered  and  used  for  waste- 
paper  and  cigarettes,  and  all  the  furniture  and 
clothing  of  the  ladies  had  disappeared. 

The  social  conditions  of  the  country  were  found 
to  be  appalling.  There  had  been  a  reign  of  terror. 
Thousands  of  Jews  of  British,  French,  and  Russian 
nationality  had  been  expelled,  and  their  property 
confiscated  ;  those  who  remained  had  been  sub¬ 
jected  to  cruel  persecution.  Life  came  to  a  stand¬ 
still  ;  the  fields  were  untilled  ;  the  colonies  were 
ravaged ;  the  woodlands  were  cut  down.  Large 


252 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

numbers  of  people  were  starving  ;  parents  sold 
their  children  in  the  streets  for  a  shilling  or  two  ; 
diought,  visitations  of  locusts,  epidemics  of  typhus 
and  cholera  added  to  the  horror  of  the  situation. 

The  British  brought  with  them,  like  the  Romans 
of  old,  older  and  law  and  a  sense  of  the  practical. 
At  once  the  Military  Administration  entered  on  the 
gigantic  task  of  resuscitating  the  country.  It  was 
literal!}  a  process  of  restoring  the  dead  to  life. 
The  filthy  cities  were  cleaned  up  and  sanitary 
measures  adopted  ;  a  water-supply  was  provided  ; 

road,  well-metalled  roads  began  to  intersect  the 
land;  cultivators  were  granted  loans;  commerce 
revived.  In  meeting  the  needs  of  the 
necessitous  the  officials  relied  on  the  assistance 
of  philanthropic  agencies,  and  in  this  work  the 
United  free  Church  took  a  large  share. 

The  Rev.  J.  Macdonald  Webster  of  Budapest 
was  in  Scotland  at  the  time.  Widely  known  as 
Webster  of  Budapest,”  he  was  a  missionary  of 
exceptional  ability  with  a  profound  knowledge  of 
Eastern  Europe  and  the  Jewish  problem,  and  an 
organizing  faculty  which  carried  to  success  what¬ 
ever  scheme  he  undertook.  The  fact  that  it  was 
the  Jews  who  were  chiefly  suffering  in  Palestine 
and  in  Europe  suggested  to  him  the  idea  of  raising 
a  fund  for  the  double  purpose  of  relieving  the 
distress  and  of  establishing  the  Mission  work,  and 
re-equipping  the  buildings  after  the  war.  Much 
sympathy  was  being  expressed  for  the  Jews,  and  the 
Jewish  Mission  Committee  welcomed  the  proposal 
and  appointed  Mr.  Webster  organizing  secretary. 

I  he  result  was  a  special  War  Fund— the  only 


RECONSTRUCTION 


253 


Church  fund  for  Jewish  relief — which  in  the  end 
reached  the  remarkable  total  of  £25,600. 

Agents  were  dispatched  to  the  various  centres 
where  the  refugees  had  concentrated,  first  to 
Russia  and  Poland  and  later  to  Egypt  and 
Palestine.  These  included  several  of  the  Jewish 
workers — Mr.  Christie,  Miss  Gwladys  Jones,  Miss 
Irvine,  and  Miss  Reid,  who,  undeterred  by  the 
dangers,  administered  relief  to  the  stricken  people. 
The  assistance  rendered  and  the  kindness  shown 
made  a  deep  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  Jews. 

When  Dr.  Milne  Rae  resigned  the  secretaryship 
of  the  Jewish  Committee,  which  he  had  guided 
with  much  tact  for  many  years,  it  was  natural  that 
Mr.  Macdonald  Webster  should  be  appointed  his 
successor.  His  advent  marked  the  beginning  of  an 
era  of  energetic  development  and  progress  in  the 
work. 


III.  RECONSTRUCTION 
1919-20 

Dr.  Torrance — who  now  held  the  rank  of  Captain 
— had  been  fretting  in  Glasgow  and  grudging 
every  hour  that  he  was  not  in  Galilee.  He  felt 
the  damp  winter  cold  keenly,  and  as  soon  as  he  was 
demobilized  in  the  spring  of  1919  he  hastened  out 
alone.  Reaching  Tiberias  he  stepped  into  the 
town  in  the  darkness,  secured  a  room  in  the  hotel, 
and  went  out  and  prowled  around  to  discover  how 


254 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


matters  stood.  His  own  house  was  occupied  by 
the  Military  Governor,  the  minister’s  house  was 
used  as  a  post  office,  the  school  buildings  were  the 
Moslem  Law  Courts,  and  the  hospital  was  in  the 
hands  of  the  American  Zionist  Medical  Unit.  He 
called  on  the  Governor,  and  told  him  who  he  was, 
and  said  characteristically  that  he  was  coming  to 
claim  his  property  next  day  in  order  to  start  medical 
work  again  at  once.  But  the  British  Army  is  a 
ponderous  and  slow-moving  machine,  and  the 
Doctor  was  forced  to  begin  elsewhere.  He  had 
the  Moslems  cleared  out  of  the  schoolhouse, 
secured  a  few  chairs  and  a  table,  and  opened  an  out¬ 
patient  department.  His  name  possessed  all  its 
old  magic,  and  the  people  flocked  about  him,  de¬ 
lighted  to  have  their  “  King,”  as  they  called  him, 
once  more  in  their  midst.  None  were  more 
pleased  than  his  Jewish  friends.  “  Saint  David 
is  here  !  was  tne  slogan-cry  that  rang  through 
the  Jewish  quarter  of  the  town  and  the  colonies  in 
the  vicinity.  They  noticed  a  difference  in  him,  and 
some  did  not  know  him  “  until  he  smiled.”  But 
he  soon  picked  up  ;  the  work  renewed  his  vitality, 
and  that  restless  energy  which  characterized  him 
before  the  war  returned  along  with  the  determina¬ 
tion  to  restore  the  broken  fortunes  of  the  Mission. 

By  and  by,  through  persevering  effort,  he 
managed  to  secure  entry  into  the  top  story  of  his 
old  house,  and,  backed  by  the  Committee  in  Scot¬ 
land,  continued  the  process  of  pressure,  but  it 
v/as  not  until  October  that  he  was  once  more 
master  of  all  the  Mission  buildings.  He 
endeavoured  to  recover  some  of  his  scattered 


RECONSTRUCTION 


255 


belongings  which  he  knew  were  in  the  town,  but 
was  not  very  successful.  Once  he  was  shown  a 
photograph  of  a  group  in  which  one  of  the  figures 
was  wearing  a  suit  of  his  best  clothes  ,  it  touched 
his  sense  of  humour,  and  he  was  philosopher  enough 
to  make  the  best  of  the  situation.  The  task  of 
rebuilding  the  shattered  fabric  of  the  Mission  was 
not  an  easy  one,  but  gradually  the  staff  was  le- 
constituted,  though  not  all  the  former  members 
came  back.  Mr.  Semple  returned  from  his 
chaplaincy  in  the  Egyptian  Expeditionary  Force, 
Sister  Frieda  came  from  Switzerland,  Amina  Faris, 
Isaac,  and  Mohammad  took  up  their  old  duties. 
All  had  been  shaken  by  their  experiences,  but  were 
not  less  eager  and  devoted  than  formerly. 

Several  new  appointments  were  made,  one  of 
which,  that  of  Miss  Vartan  as  Matron,  pleased  the 
Doctor  exceedingly.  She  was  the  daughter  of  his 
old  friend,  Dr.  Vartan,  and  proved  as  wise  and  as 
capable  as  her  father.  Arabic  she  spoke  as  fluently 
as  English. 

Then  Dr.  Mary  M‘Neill,  who  had  been  serving 
in  the  Scottish  Women’s  hospital  in  Belgrade,  came 
to  assist  him  temporarily.  When  in  Egypt  on  her 
way  out  she  was  told  by  Cairo  practitioners  that 
the  Doctor  was  “  the  most  beloved  man  in 
Palestine.”  “You  are  very  fortunate  to  be  going 
to  Tiberias,”  said  experienced  fellow-travellers  on 
the  journey  to  Galilee,  and  when  she  came  to  the 
hospital  by  the  Lake,  “  the  most  touchingly  alluring 
sheet  of  water  in  the  world,”  she  realized  the  truth 
of  the  remarks. 

“  Various  scenes  recur  to  me,”  she  writes,  “  as  I  look  back 


256 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

on  these  busy  months.  I  see  the  Doctor  in  his  consulting, 
room  A  Jewish  lady  has  come  from  Jerusalem  expressly  to 
have  his  opinion  on  her  case  ;  a  Christian  priest  has  brought  a 
company  of  sick  villagers  from  the  Hauran.  Tall  and  handsome 
bedouin  in  picturesque  garb  arrive  from  the  ‘  regions  beyond  the 
Jordan,  and  when  he  has  spoken  to  them,  they  prostrate  them- 

r  T  on  tlJe  ?rou"d.and  kiss  his  feet,  and  then,  clasping  their 
hands  and  lifting  their  eyes,  they  say  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving 


I  recall  a  Sunday  morning  when  a  little  Christian  com¬ 
munity  has  gathered  in  the  hospital  waiting-room.  And  in 
the  communion  service  carried  out  according  to  the  simple  rites 
of  the  Scots  Kirk  participate  two  grateful  patients,  a  priest  of 
the  Greek  Orthodox  Church  and  his  deacon.  In  the  afternoon 
a  service  is  held  in  the  wards.  Miss  Vartan  plays  the  har¬ 
monium  and  leads  the  singing.  The  patients  listen  as  the 
Doctor  speaks  quietly  and  simply  to  them.  Little  children 
Mos.em,  Jewish,  and  Christian,  cluster  on  the  floor  near  him.’ 
They  have  learnt  the  Lord’s  Prayer  and  they  repeat  it  together 
Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven.’  ’ 

I  see  him  the  friend  and  adviser  of  all  sorts  and  conditions 
of  men  whom  he  has  won  by  his  skill  and  broad-minded 
and  large-hearted  charity-the  gentle  Franciscan  brother  at 
apernaum,  the  poor  Sisters  in  the  adjacent  convent,  the  Jewish 
rabbis  in  the  town,  the  fanatical  Moslems  in  the  desert.  He  is 
he  friend  of  all  and  as  a  linguist  can  make  himself  understood 

yj  r  >•  haVe  heard  hlm  talk  in  turn  Arabic,  Yiddish,  French 
and  Italian  to  his  patients.  ’ 

I  see  him  acting  as  host  to  a  number  of  young  officers  of 

an  Indian  regiment  quartered  near  Tiberias.  He  has  great 

social  gifts,  is  very  fond  of  music,  can  tune  the  piano,  and  sings 

we  .  These  musical  evenings  relieved  many  a  dull  hour  for 
these  lonely  officers.” 


He  was  so  familiar  and  popular  a  figure  in  the 
country  that  in  travelling  with  him  one  had  to  make 
up  one  s  mind  for  endless  stoppages  and  delays 
Everywhere  Jews,  Moslems,  and  Christians  would 
hail  him  or  make  themselves  known  in  some  way. 


RECONSTRUCTION 


257 


A  walk  in  Jerusalem  with  him  was  a  series  of  en¬ 
counters  and  talks.  He  was  a  privileged  visitor  at 
all  the  holy  places,  because  there  was  sure  to  be  some 
one  there  who  had  been  a  patient.  One  day,  as  he 
entered  the  Mosque  of  Omar,  an  attendant  became 
obsequious.  He  had  been  in  the  hospital,  and  so 
great  was  his  faith  in  the  Doctor’s  powers  that  he 
dragged  forward  his  little  boy  and  asked  him  to 
cure  him.  “  How  can  I,”  said  the  Doctor,  “  unless 
I  make  a  proper  diagnosis  ?  Can  you,  without 
eyes,  shoot  a  bird  ?  ”  “  But  God  has  given  me 

the  thought  that  you  can  cure  him.”  “  And,” 
the  Doctor  countered,  “  God  has  given  me  the 

thought  that  you  should  consult  Dr.  - .”  At 

Jacob’s  Well  he  was  welcomed  by  a  priest,  a 
stranger  to  him.  “  Ah,  Doctor,”  the  atter  cried, 
“if  it  hadn’t  been  for  you  I  would  have  died  !  ” 
Long  years  before  he  also  had  been  in  the  hospital. 
Such  incidents  by  the  wayside  were  always 
happening.  Even  in  Egypt  he  was  recognized 
and  gratefully  thanked  by  patients  who  had  gone 
to  him  from  that  country. 

Dr.  Mary  M‘ Neill  left,  and  the  Doctor  was  again 
without  a  colleague.  But  his  son,  Dr.  Herbert, 
now  also  M.D.,  could  not  think  of  him  continuing 
to  toil  alone  after  a  lifetime  of  service,  and  relin¬ 
quishing,  as  his  father  himself  had  done,  the  sure 
prospect  of  a  successful  career  at  home,  he  went  out 
to  act  as  assistant  in  the  hospital.  His  advent 
was  not  only  a  source  of  pride  and  pleasure  to  his 
father,  but  an  event  of  importance  to  the  people  of 
Galilee.  Would  he  possess  the  skill  and  other 
qualities  of  the  Doctor  ?  They  observed  him 


258 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


closely,  more  closely  than  he  knew,  and  were  not 
long  in  reaching  a  conclusion.  He  had  indeed  the 
same  alert  mind,  the  same  quick  sympathy  that  was 
almost  tender  in  its  quality,  and  the  same  light 
yet  firm  touch  which  conveyed  to  the  patients  a 
sense  of  healing.  Those  who  formerly  would  have 
no  one  but  “  Trance  ”  and  turned  away  if  he 
were  not  available,  began  to  give  themselves  into 
the  hands  of  Dr.  Herbert,  though  they  made  no 
secret  of  their  preference  for  his  father. 

Children  especially  loved  the  slim  young  doctor 
with  the  kind,  smiling  eyes  and  the  hands  ever 
ready  for  theirs  to  slip  into  ;  they  seemed  to  know 
instinctively  that  he  suffered  with  their  suffering, 
and  was  doing  his  utmost  to  make  them  well.  He 
would  fight  for  them  where  even  his  father  had 
pronounced  a  verdict  of  death.  One  day  he  brought 
over  to  the  Doctor  at  the  house  a  boy  from  Nazareth. 
Dr.  Torrance  ran  his  fingers  over  the  swollen  face 
and  neck.  “  Hopeless  !  ”  he  said.  “  He  will  die.” 
Dr.  Herbert  lingered  restlessly,  suggesting  this  and 
that,  but  his  experienced  father  shook  his  head. 
“  He  will  die  within  a  month,”  he  said.  Dr. 
Herbert  acquiesced  sadly,  and  with  a  face  that 
one  did  not  like  to  see,  took  the  boy  by  the 
hand  and  led  him  away.  It  was  this  intense 
human  sympathy,  combined  with  a  gentle  humour, 
that  captured  the  popular  heart. 

What  impressed  the  young  doctor  was  the 
immense  field  that  lay  before  a  surgeon  in  Palestine. 
He  saw  cases  in  the  first  few  months  which,  though 
they  were  not  peculiar  to  the  country,  he  had  never 
witnessed  before,  and,  in  addition,  he  dealt  with 


THE  CONFLICT  OF  ARAB  AND  JEW  259 


some  that  he  would  not  have  come  across  in  practice 
elsewhere.  His  father  told  him  that  he  had  treated 
surgical  cases  of  a  very  rare  type,  such  as  probably 
would  not  occur  more  than  once  or  twice  in  a  run 
of  ten  thousand  patients. 

Another  qualified  nurse  from  Scotland,  Miss 
Hazel  Ferguson,  daughter  of  a  Formosan  mis¬ 
sionary,  joined  the  staff,  and  by  her  cheerful  and 
helpful  nature  added  to  the  brightness  of  the  in¬ 
stitution,  though  she  found  that  it  was  not 
easy  always  to  be  at  one's  best  amidst  such  heat 
and  with  such  a  rush  of  work.  “  Last  Tuesday," 
she  wrote  on  one  occasion,  “  the  Doctor  started  at 
7.30  a.m.,  so  I  was  in  before  him — about  7.10.  He 
did  seven  operations,  finishing  at  12.30  p.m.  We 
were  all  quite  limp  and  damp.  That  evening  at 
9  p.m.,  when  I  was  on  duty  (as  all  the  nurses  were 
having  their  lecture  from  Dr.  Flerbert),  I  noticed 
the  theatre  thermometer  registered  84°  Fahr.” 


IV.  THE  CONFLICT  OF  ARAB  AND 

JEW 

1920-22 

By  the  Treaty  of  Versailles,  Britain  was  constituted 
the  Mandatory  Power  over  Palestine  west  of  the 
Jordan.  The  military  regime  gave  place  to  a  civil 
administration  in  July  1920,  and  Sir  Herbert 
Samuel,  a  Jew  in  whose  wisdom,  judgment,  and 
impartiality  all  classes  had  the  utmost  confidence, 
was  appointed  High  Commissioner  and  Com- 


\ 


260 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


mander-in-Chief,  and  began  a  task  which  was 
unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the  Empire.  The 
foundations  of  the  new  civilization  had  been  laid, 
but  he  had  to  build  up  a  social  and  economic  life  out 
of  the  most  unpromising  material  ;  he  had  to  keep 
the  peace  between  the  fanatical  adherents  of  three 
great  religions  ;  and  he  had  to  conduct  the  public 
work  of  the  country  in  three  different  languages, 
for  Arabic,  Hebrew,  and  English  were  now  officially 
recognized.  He  could  not  have  achieved  much 
without  the  aid  of  the  Jews  who  were  coming  into 
the  country.  In  six  months  as  many  as  ten  thousand 
arrived,  and  the  numbers  were  increasing  every 
week.  Palestine  was  beginning  to  throb  with  life 
and  activity  in  a  way  it  had  not  known  for  centuries. 
The  old  inhabitants  were  not  a  little  dazed  by  what 
was  going  on. 

A  large  number  of  the  immigrants  were  well-to- 
do  mechanics,  merchants,  and  manufacturers  who 
settled  in  the  towns  and  went  to  work  in  the  most 
thorough  and  scientific  manner,  erected  shops, 
silicate  brick  factories,  flour  mills,  cement  factories, 
oil  factories,  and  other  businesses,  which  gave 
employment  to  thousands.  Others  started  as 
watchmakers,  carpenters,  and  weavers.  Many 
found  work  in  the  colonies,  or  settlements,  as  they 
were  now  called.  These  agricultural  centres  were 
increasing  in  number  and  were  developing  mixed 
farming,  market  gardening,  fruit-growing,  and 
afforestation,  and  experimenting  with  breeds  of 
cattle,  poultry  farming,  tobacco  planting,  and  the 
culture  of  silkworms.  It  was  calculated  that 
already  upwards  of  four  million  pounds  had  been 


THE  CONFLICT  OF  x\RAB  AND  JEW  261 

l 

poured  into  the  country  by  Jewish  public  bodies 
apart  from  the  money  spent  by  private  enterprise. 

But  the  majority  of  the  immigrants  were  a 
mixed  class  of  young  Jews  and  Jewesses,  including 
University  graduates  and  other  well-educated 
persons,  who  came  mainly  from  Eastern  Europe  ; 
they  were  known  as  the  halutzim,  or  “  pioneers/’ 
and  their  object  was  to  prepare  the  foundations  of 
the  future  national  home.  Although  the  country 
was  under-populated — the  British  estimate  was 
700,000,  which  was  less  than  the  province  of  Galilee 
had  contained  in  the  time  of  Christ — it  could  not, 
in  its  existing  economic  condition,  absorb  so  large 
a  number ;  and  unused  as  they  were  to  manual 
labour,  they  were  put  into  camps  and  set  to  work 
on  the  construction  of  roads,  buildings,  bridges, 
telephone  and  telegraph  services,  and  the  sites  for 
new  towns — for  it  was  found  impossible  to  make 
anything  of  the  old  from  a  public  health  point  of 
view,  and  already  the  new  Jerusalem  and  the  new 
Tiberias  had  been  planned  and  begun,  the  latter 
being  laid  out  about  a  mile  higher  up  the  slope 
than  the  Mission  hospital,  and  overlooking  the 
Lake  of  Galilee. 

Sturdy  in  physique,  self-reliant  and  buoyant, 
these  pioneers  toiled  at  their  tasks  without  a  murmur, 
and  looked,  despite  their  rough  and  dusty  garments, 
the  picture  of  wholesome  and  vigorous  youth. 
Critics  called  them  bolshevists,  and  they  were  re¬ 
garded  with  disfavour  by  the  older  Jewish  residents. 
Dr.  Torrance  laughed  at  the  charge.  “  What  is 
bolshevism  ?  55  he  said.  “It  is  the  negation  of 
constituted  law  and  order.  But  these  Jews,  how- 


262 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


evei  revolutionary  their  ideas  are  in  regard  to 
orthodox  Judaism,  are  loyal  to  their  race,  and  their 
aim  is  national  reconstruction  and  not  the  abolition 
of  orderly  society.  They  are  going  in  largely 
for  co-operation  in  industry,  and  that  is  not  bol¬ 
shevism.  T  he  Arabs  do  not,  as  a  rule,  combine, 
and  they  have  not  the  same  constructive  sense  as 
the  Jews.”  Revelling  in  their  freedom,  full  of 
idealism,  enthusiastic  in  outlook,  confident,  ener¬ 
getic,  and  lesoaite,  these  young  men  and  women 
formed  an  absolutely  new  class  in  the  history  of 
modern  Jewry.  The  missionaries  saw  in  them  the 
nucleus  of  the  future  commonwealth  of  Jews. 

i  his  outburst  of  foreign  activity  would  prob¬ 
ably  not  have  been  resented  by  the  native  Arab 
population  had  it  not  been  accompanied  at  the 
first  "by  the  declarations  of  the  extreme  Zionists, 
who  wished  to  ride  roughshod  over  the  old-estab¬ 
lished  conditions  and  create  a  Jewish  State  at 
once  and  by  sheer  force.  The  irritation  and 
alarm  caused  by  this  attitude  produced  an  agita¬ 
tion  that  culminated  in  riot  and  bloodshed.  Sir 
Herbert  Samuel  took  occasion  to  point  out  that 
tiie  only  Zionism  which  was  practicable  was  that 
which  safeguarded  and  promoted  the  well-being 
of  the  Arab  population.  The  degree  to  which 
Jewish  national  aspirations  could  be  fulfilled 
was  conditioned  by  the  rights  of  the  existing 
inhabitants.  He  did  not,  however,  conceal  the 
determination  of  the  British  Government  to  satisfy 
the  hopes  of  the  Jews  for  a  home  which  would 

possess  all  the  national  characteristics  for  which 
the  Zionists  longed. 


THE  CONFLICT  OF  ARAB  AND  JEW  263 


As  a  first  step  towards  self-government  an 
Advisory  Council  was  constituted  of  the  unofficial 
members,  of  which  four  were  Moslems,  three 
Christians,  and  three  Jews.  It  was  a  small  be¬ 
ginning,  but  the  Administration  regarded  it,  rightly, 
as  the  germ  of  momentous  developments.  “We 
have  in  Palestine,”  said  Sir  Wyndham  Deedes, 
C.M.G.,  D.S.O.,  the  Civil  Secretary,  “the  three 
great  world  religions  —  Christianity,  Moham¬ 
medanism,  and  Judaism.  If  we  can  manage  to  get 
these  three  religions  to  live  together  we  shall  have 
taken  the  biggest  step  in  the  world  towards  a 
world  peace.  Our  hope  is  that  Palestine  may 
become,  in  the  course  of  time,  a  torch  to  lighten 
the  rest  of  the  world.” 

The  Arab  mind  was  in  no  wise  reassured. 
Under  the  Turkish  regime  there  had  been  no 
public  opinion  in  Palestine  ;  few  of  the  people  read 
newspapers,  and  the  pressure  of  organized  thought 
was  an  unknown  force.  But  with  freedom  the 
community  seemed  to  awaken  out  of  sleep  ;  every 
one  was  reading  and  expressing  his  views  ;  the 
Arabs,  like  other  races,  had  become  conscious  of 
their  national  existence  and  rights.  They  found 
that  they  had  a  constitutional  method  of  dealing 
with  the  situation,  and  a  committee  was  formed 
to  represent  their  case.  Perhaps  it  was  the  voice 
of  a  small  section  of  the  population,  the  effendi 
class,  but  they  had  the  backing  of  a  considerable 
proportion  of  the  ordinary  inhabitants. 

They  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  British  Gov¬ 
ernment  and  people  their  claim  that  their  position 
and  interests  had  been  overlooked.  The  country, 


264 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


they  maintained,  belonged  to  the  indigenous 
population,  four-fifths  of  whom  were  Moslems 
and  77,000  Christians  ;  the  Jews  had  no  claim  to 
it  save  an  antiquarian  and  sentimental  one.  They 
had  no  doubt  whatever  that  the  Zionists  aimed 
ultimately  at  securing  political  control,  and  that 
in  spite  of  all  safeguards  they  would  contrive  to 
o  so.  fo  the  contention  that  only  the  Jews,  with 
their  idealism,  energy,  science,  and  wealth,  would 
be  able  to  rehabilitate  the  country  and  make  it 
prosperous,  they  answered  that  the  Arabs  had  never 
had  a  fair  chance,  and  that  under  the  new  con¬ 
ditions  they  would  have  the  opportunity  of  success- 
i-iilly  developing  its  economic  resources. 

A  period  of  sharp  controversy  followed,  during 
winch  feeling  in  Palestine  continued  to  run  high, 
rite  British  Government  had  again  to  make  the 
situation  clear.  It  declared  that  the  Jewish  people 
were  in  Palestine  as  of  right,  and  not  on  sufferance, 
and  that  they  had  been  given  the  opportunity  of 
reconstituting  their  national  home  there,  "but 
that  there  was  no  intention  to  make  the  country 
completely  Jewish  or  to  eliminate  the  Arab  popula¬ 
tion  and  culture.  No  class  of  citizens  would  have 
an  exceptional  position,  all  would  enjoy  the  full 
status  oi  Palestinians — the  generic  name  now  being 
used  to  describe  Arab  and  Jew  alike.  As  soon 
as  possible  complete  self-government  would  be 
introduced,  and  meanwhile  a  Legislative  Council 
would  be  created,  with  a  majority  of  elected 
members.  Immigration  would  be  restricted 
according  to  the  capacity  of  the  country  to  absorb 
the  incomers— a  provision  which  naturally  affected 


THE  CONFLICT  OF  ARAB  AND  JEW  265 


Jews  only,  since  the  country  had  no  attraction  for 
any  other  type  of  capitalist  or  worker. 

The  British  Government,  in  short,  held  that  the 
interests  of  the  Arabs  and  the  Jews  were  not  an¬ 
tagonistic  but  complementary,  and  that  for  both  a 
new  era  of  prosperity  and  progress  was  beginning. 

This  was  the  position  now  being  held  by 
responsible  Jews.  The  confusion  resulting  from 
the  different  views  held  by  various  sections  of  the 
race  was  clearing  away.  Many  felt,  with  the 
Christians,  that  an  exclusive  Jewish  nation  based 
on  rabbinical  requirements  would  be  an  ana¬ 
chronism  in  these  days  of  enlightenment,  and  would 
run  counter  to  the  evolutionary  movement  of 
humanity.  They  believed  that  there  was  room 
for  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  that  with  goodwill 
and  common  sense  both  could  live  side  by  side,  and 
by  their  co-operation  contribute  to  the  more  rapid 
advancement  of  the  country.  The  same  attitude 
was  adopted  by  the  Zionist  Congress,  which  pled 
for  the  dissipation  of  misunderstandings  between 
the  two  Semitic  peoples  and  the  development  of 
unity  and  mutual  respect.  And,  later,  in  a  mani¬ 
festo  to  the  Arabs  the  Jewish  National  Council  of 
Palestine,  in  moving  language,  repudiated  any  in¬ 
tention  of  encroaching  on  the  sacred  rights  of  a 
people  who  were  their  own  kindred,  and  asked  them 
to  regard  the  Jew  as  “  a  brother  faithful  in  thought 
and  deed,  a  staunch  and  unswerving  ally,  and  a 
loyal  and  willing  comrade  ”  in  the  stupendous  task 
of  developing  what  was  to  both  “  the  dear  and  holy 
motherland  of  Palestine.” 

Meanwhile  the  Administration  was  accomplish- 


266 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


ing  wonders  in  the  way  of  reorganizing  the  civil 
life  of  the  country.  The  cost  was  kept  within 
the  amount  of  the  local  revenues,  yet  oppressive 
taxes  were  withdrawn,  the  tobacco  monopoly  was 
abolished,  a  disciplined  gendarmerie — largely  com¬ 
posed  of  Jews — was  organized — the  public  offices 
were  overhauled,  and  bribery  and  bakhshish  gave 
place  to  honest  and  efficient  administration  ;  rail- 
way>  postal,  and  telephone  facilities  were  developed  ; 
Moslem,  Jewish,  and  Christian  Courts  were  estab¬ 
lished  ;  and  public  health,  agricultural  and  education 
departments  were  all  at  work  creating  new  con¬ 
ditions.  If  the  process  had  been  instantaneous 
it  would  have  been  called  a  miracle,  but  it  was  not 
less  a  miracle  because  it  took  years  instead  of 
moments.  And  it  took  years  simply  because  the 
British  followed  their  traditional  line  of  policy  and 

had  scrupulous  regard  for  local  susceptibilities 
and  customs. 

After  the  ratification  of  the  Mandate  in  1922  an 
Order  in  Council  guaranteed  complete  freedom  of 
conscience  and  worship  and  absolute  racial  equality. 
The  official  Census,  taken  for  electoral  purposes, 
showed  a  population  of  755,858  Moslems,  83,794 
Jews,  and  73,026  Christians. 


V.  A  NARROW  ESCAPE 
1920-22 

One  of  the  results  of  the  new  regime  was  to  make 
Palestine  apparently  shrink  in  size.  The  old  slow 


A  NARROW  ESCAPE 


267 


method  of  travel  always  seemed  to  exaggerate 
its  length  and  breadth,  but  with  the  construction 
of  good  roads  and  the  introduction  of  motor-cars, 
and  the  linking  up  of  the  country  by  railway  with 
Egypt,  journeys  that  formerly  took  two  or  three  days 
were  now  accomplished  in  a  few  hours. 

The  Doctor  was  one  of  those  who,  when  the 
army  of  occupation  was  reduced,  was  able  to  buy 
a  small  car  which,  for  the  short  time  he  had  it, 
he  found  useful  for  his  work.  Its  career  ended  in 
disaster.  He  was  driving  near  Haifa  with  his  wife, 
and  came  to  a  level  crossing  on  the  railway  line. 
The  car  passed  over  the  first  rail,  but  stalled  on 
the  second.  At  the  same  moment,  round  a  curve 
two  hundred  yards  away,  appeared  what  seemed, 
to  their  eyes,  an  enormous  engine,  with  the  driver 
on  the  outside  attending  to  some  of  its  parts. 
Quick  as  thought  both  the  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
Torrance  jumped  out,  and  the  Doctor  began 
desperately  to  drag  the  car  off  the  rails.  His  im¬ 
pression  was  that  the  train  was  a  passenger  one,  and 
that  if  he  did  not  clear  the  line  many  lives  would 
be  lost,  and  just  as  he  threw  himself  at  the  task  of 
saving  life  in  the  hospital,  so  he  threw  himself  at 
this  critical  situation,  regardless  of  self.  The  train 
was  in  reality  a  heavy  ballast  one,  and  as  it  was 
running  on  the  down-grade,  a  collision  was  in¬ 
evitable  unless  he  succeeded  in  his  frantic  efforts. 
As  the  engine  bore  down  upon  him,  Mrs.  Torrance 
screamed  to  him  to  desist,  but  he  held  grimly  on, 
and  was  caught  in  the  impact,  lifted  into  the  air, 
and  pitched  many  yards  away  into  the  sand.  The 
car  was  carried  two  hundred  yards  down  the  line. 


268 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

When  Mrs.  Torrance  reached  the  Doctor  he 
was  bleeding  and  unconscious,  and  his  clothes  were 
torn  and  covered  with  dust.  A  Jew,  who  was 
driving  along  in  a  carriage  and  knew  them,  came  to 
their  assistance.  When  the  Doctor  recovered  con¬ 
sciousness,  a  car  was  procured  from  Haifa,  and  he 
was  conveyed  to  the  town,  where  it  was  found  that 
he  had  sustained  no  serious  injury. 

He  returned  to  Tiberias  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days,  but  there  was  no  doubt  that  the  shock  affected 
his  constitution.  Some  months  afterwards,  in  1921, 
he  rede  up  to  Safed,  taking  seven  and  a  half  hours 
to  the  journey,  and,  on  arriving,  collapsed  as  he  got 
off  his  horse.  It  was  heart  weakness,  and  for  two 
months  he  was  unable  to  leave  the  house.  After¬ 
wards  he  was  obliged  to  take  his  work  more  easily, 
and  to  rely  to  a  greater  extent  on  his  son,  though  his’ 
spirit  and  resolution  remained  unbroken.  It  was 
a  greai  joy  to  him  to  receive  news  of  his  daughter 
Marjory’s  graduation  in  medicine.  Lydia  was 
already  a  graduate,  so  that  with  four  doctors  in 

the  family  it  was  sometimes  uncertain  which  was 
being  referred  to. 

It  was  obvious  that  the  public  developments 
would  react  on  mission  work  in  the  country  and  that 
the  various  agencies  would  have  to  revise  their 
policies  and  adapt  them  to  the  changing  conditions. 
Medical  service  had  been  essential  at  the  beginning  ; 
no  other  type  of  work  could  have  blazed  a  path  in  so 
ignorant  and  fanatical  a  field ;  but  with  a  modern 
Government  taking  charge  of  the  country,  and  the 
ample  provision  of  medical  facilities  by  the  Jewish 
associations,  the  Mission  hospital  and  dispensary 


A  NARROW  ESCAPE 


269 


were  no  longer  so  needful,  though  in  Dr.  Torrance  s 
opinion  they  would  still  for  long  serve  a  useful 
function  not  only  by  assisting  the  conservation  of 
public  health,  but  in  setting  forth  the  practical  side 
of  Christian  love  and  truth.  “  Mission  hospitals 
will  always  be  popular,”  he  says,  “  because  of  the 
Christian  nursing  the  patients  receive.  Somehow 
other  institutions  fail  in  this  respect.  There  is 
something  in  the  kindly  Christian  touch,  the 
gracious  Christian  treatment  of  those  who  are 
suffering  that  is  not  got  elsewhere.”  So  he  went 
on  with  the  plans  of  the  Committee.  He  was  now 
living  in  the  clerical  house,  and  his  old  home  being 
vacant,  it  was  converted  into  a  Women’s  and 
Children’s  Hospital,  which  was  the  realization  of  his 
old  desire.  So  confident  had  he  been  that  the 
scheme  would  materialize,  that  during  his  furloughs 
he  had  followed  up  special  studies  on  the  eye  and 
other  subjects  by  attending  courses  on  women’s 
diseases  and  maternity  work.  The  hospital,  which 
was  the  first  of  its  kind  in  Palestine,  was  quickly 
occupied  with  patients,  and  although  the  labour 
entailed  by  day  and  night  was  very  great,  the  staff 
had  the  satisfaction  of  saving  many  a  life.  A  motor 
ambulance,  which  the  Doctor  asked  for,  was  gifted 
by  a  lady  in  Scotland,  and  was  the  means  of 
easing  the  suffering  of  patients  conveyed  from  a 
distance.  The  fees  received  in  1922  amounted  to 
the  remarkable  sum  of  £1700. 

Nevertheless,  he  was  conscious  that  more 
emphasis  had  now  to  be  laid  on  education.  Know¬ 
ledge,  the  trained  mind,  the  broader  outlook,  would 
do  much  to  emancipate  the  Jews  from  their  thraldom 


270 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

to  legal  formalism,  and  the  Moslems  from  their 
ignorant  and  fanatical  self-sufficiency,  and  give 
Christianity  its  opportunity. 

An  incident  which  occurred  at  this  time  illus¬ 
trated  the  need  for  enlightenment.  The  Doctor 
was  aroused  one  night  to  go  over  and  attend  one 
of  the  little  daughters  of  Mohammad  who  had  been 

bitten  by  a  snake  while  sleeping  out  of  doors _ 

there  had  been  four  deaths  from  snake-bites  during 
t  e  previous  few  months.  She  was  treated  success- 
ully,  but  next  day  when  Sister  Frieda  went  down 
o  Iohammad’s  house  in  the  lower  garden  to  see  her 
she  found  the  place  crowded  with  Moslem  sheikhs 
who  were  giving  the  patient  their  sputum  and  other 
decoctions  to  swallow.  The  Doctor  smiled  grimlv 
when  he  heard  of  it.  Here  was  a  servant  of  the 
hospital  for  over  twenty-five  years  throwing  over¬ 
board  without  a  moment’s  hesitation,  all  the  medical 
and  Christian  training  he  had  received  in  the 

ission  and  becoming  as  barbarous  as  any  of  his 
Moslem  friends. 

Elementary  education  was  now  passing  into  the 
hands  of  the  Government,  who  were  establishing 
primary  schools  in  every  village ;  but  as  it  had  no 
funds  for  secondary  institutions,  it  asked  the  con- 
tinued  assistance  of  the  voluntary  agencies  in  supply¬ 
ing  the  higher  training,  and  the  missions  realized  that 
they  would  have  to  adjust  themselves  to  the  situation 
And,  finally,  the  Doctor  felt  more  than  ever  the 
need  for  ordinary  evangelism  which,  on  account  of 
the  incessant  demands  for  medical  aid,  he  had 
never  been  able  to  develop.  “  It  is  not  only  in¬ 
stitutions  we  need,”  he  said,  “  but  men  at  leisure 


A  NARROW  ESCAPE 


271 


and  able  to  be  fishers  of  men.”  He  believed  that 
Hebrew  and  Arab  Christians  were  the  best  suited 
for  this  work,  Scottish  missionaries  requiring  so 
much  preliminary  training  in  languages  and  in 
the  complex  questions  affecting  Jews  and  Moslems. 
Moreover,  he  maintained  that  the  day  for  attacking 
in  mass  had  not  yet  come  ;  it  was  the  individual 
touch  that  was  needed  ;  and  to  make  that  effectual, 
there  would  have  to  be  provided  an  opportunity  for 
inquirers  to  become  independent  of  their  religious 
and  social  environment. 

The  Jewish  Mission  Committee  of  the  Church 
faced  the  new  situation  with  high  courage.  Its  Con¬ 
vener  at  this  period  fortunately  was  the  Rev.  John 
Hall,  one  of  the  most  experienced  leaders  in  the 
Church,  a  man  of  insight,  patience,  resolution,  and 
judgment,  who  had  made  a  special  study  of  the 
Jewish  question  and  was,  besides,  personally 
acquainted  with  the  conditions  in  the  various  fields. 
He  proceeded  again  to  Palestine,  with  Mr.  Mac¬ 
donald  Webster,  the  Secretary,  Professor  W.  M. 
Macgregor,  D.D.,  Sir  John  Cowan,  and  Miss  Brown 
Douglas,  members  of  the  Committee.  It  was  a 
new  Commission  of  Inquiry,  which  reminded  the 
Church  of  the  original  in  1839.  They  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  isolated  station  of  Hebron,  which 
absorbed  a  large  share  of  the  funds  and  was  practi¬ 
cally  a  mission  to  the  Moslems,  should  be  given  up 
and  the  work  in  Palestine  concentrated  in  Galilee, 
that  the  educational  side  of  the  Mission  should 
be  developed  under  Mr.  Semple’s  charge  by  the 
establishment  of  first-class  schools  or  colleges  for 
boys  and  girls  at  Safed,  and  that  in  addition  to 


272 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 

this  institutional  work,  more  attention  should  be 
given  to  widespread  town  and  village  evangelism, 
-nese  recommendations  were  approved  and  given 
effect  to.  1*  or  the  task  of  co-ordinating  and  develop¬ 
ing  the  evangelistic  side  of  the  work,  the  choice 
fell  on  Mr.  (now  Doctor)  Christie,  who,  since  his 
return  from  Palestine,  had  been  working  as  the 
Committee’s  agent  amongst  the  Jewish  population 

of  Glasgow,  and  he  returned  rejoicing  to  the  scene 
or  his  earlier  service. 

Simultaneously,  in  the  mysterious  develop¬ 
ment  of  events,  the  Church  Missions  to  Jews,  which 
had  done  so  fine  a  work  in  Safed,  resolved  to 
evacuate  the  town  in  order  to  strengthen  their 
stations  in  other  fields.  The  series  of  buildings 
which  they  had  erected— hospital,  dispensary, 
dwelling-houses,  and  church— were  among  the 
finest  in  Palestine.  They  were  built  of  white  lime¬ 
stone  on  the  hillside  overlooking  a  wide  valley 
to  the  north,  and  could  easily  be  adapted  to  the 
various  purposes  of  a  large  collegiate  institution. 
They  were  offered  to  the  Jewish  Mission  Com¬ 
mittee  for  £20,000.  It  seemed  a  big  venture,  but 
the  Committee  had  courage  and  faith,  and  after 
an  independent  valuation  of  the  property  had  been 
made,  they  took  the  property  over  for  £15  000 
At  last,  therefore,  the  dream  of  Bonar'  and 
M  Cheyne  to  make  Safed  a  centre  of  Christian 

enlightenment  for  Northern  Palestine  was  beginning 
to  be  realized.  6 


The  Staff  of 


the  Hospital, 


1923 


Dr.  D.  W.  Torrance 


Dr.  H.  Torrance 


Sunday  Service  in  One  of  the  Wards 


On  the  Hills  of  Galilee 
A  snapshot  by  the  Author 


A  SUNDAY  VIGNETTE 


273 


VI.  A  SUNDAY  VIGNETTE 

1922 

One  final  picture.  It  is  of  a  Sunday  in  1922.  In 
the  cool  of  the  early  morning  Dr.  Herbert  has  taken 
horse  for  Safed,  where  he  has  a  patient,  and  ere 
the  family  has  gathered  Tor  prayers  is  already  cross¬ 
ing  the  plain  of  Gennesaret. 

The  children  seek  their  places,  the  youngest,  a 
boy,  curling  himself  up  against  his  father  on  the 
couch,  the  girls  clustering  round  the  gentle  mother. 
A  hymn,  “  Jesus,  holy,  undefiled, ”  is  sung,  and  the 
Doctor  reads  a  Galilee  incident,  retelling  the  story 
simply  and  asking  questions.  “  Where  did  this 
happen  ?  ”  “  Right  here,”  promptly  responds  the 

little  one  at  his  side.  Happy  children  growing 
up  in  the  scenes  hallowed  by  their  Saviour  !  A 
prayer — is  it  a  prayer  or  just  a  slow,  intimate  talk 
with  God  ? — and  afterwards  all  join  in  the  Lord’s 
Prayer. 

Then  the  family  troop  into  the  little  breakfast- 
room,  where  the  windows  are  closely  wired  to 
bar  out  the  flies.  Grace  is  chanted  by  all,  some 
curious  native  foods  are  partaken,  and  the  children 
scramble  out  into  the  compound  to  attend  to  their 
pets.  .  .  . 

The  Arabic  service  is  held  in  the  waiting-hall 
of  the  hospital  with  its  blue  roof,  grey  walls,  and 
red-tiled  floor,  and  its  deep  windows  which  frame 
a  charming  vignette — a  palm  tree  silhouetted  against 

the  shining  water  of  the  Lake  and  the  green  hills 
18 


274 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


on  the  opposite  shore.  A  corner  is  screened  off  by 
canvas  as  a  “  dressings  ”  room,  and  in  front  of  this 
is  a  small  table  on  which  stand  vases  of  blue  daisies, 
white  marguerites,  and  violets.  Beside  it  is  a 
harmonium,  at  which  Miss  Vartan  sits.  Forms 
ranged  across  the  hall  are  occupied  by  patients  in 
blue  dressing-gowns  ;  the  nurses,  refined  and 
attractive,  in  grey-blue  dress  and  white  aprons 
and  caps  ;  and  a  few  visitors,  including  a  Jewish 
inquirer. 

Presently  the  evangelist,  a  patient  himself, 
enters  and  takes  his  place  at  the  table — an  elderly 
man,  gentle  and  reverent,  like  some  Scottish  country 
minister,  and  with  the  sweetness  on  his  face  that 
comes  from  patient  suffering.  The  23rd  Psalm 
is  sung  ;  it  is  the  keynote  also  of  the  address, 
which  is  on  the  Good  Shepherd.  Sister  Frieda 
sitting  at  the  door,  hearing  a  stir  outside,  goes  out  ; 
it  is  the  arrival  of  a  “  case,”  and  a  nurse  is  summoned 
and  leaves.  The  service  goes  on.  One  of  the 
audience  in  peasant  head-dress  prays,  and  the 
Doctor  pronounces  the  benediction.  The  feeling 
imparted  by  the  scene  is  one  of  sadness  ;  the 
hymns  are  sung  sadly,  the  expressions  on  the  dark 
faces  are  sad  ;  it  all  seems  in  harmony  with  the 
sadness  of  the  country.  .  .  . 

The  English  service  is  held  immediately  after¬ 
wards  in  the  little  dining-hall  in  the  Matron’s 
quarters,  an  arched  room  looking  out  on  the  Lake. 
The  sides  and  corners  are  filled  in  with  broken 
columns,  capitals,  and  carvings  of  old  Galilee,  half- 
hidden  by  maidenhair  ferns,  poppies,  daisies, 
begonias,  nasturtiums,  and  mimosa,  and  in  the 


A  SUNDAY  VIGNETTE 


275 


mass  of  greenery  stands  a  globe  filled  with  goldfish. 
The  audience  on  this  occasion  comprises  the  nurses , 
servants,  and  children,  and  two  or  three  residents 
of  the  town — about  twenty  in  all.  The  Doctor 
sits  at  the  table  throughout,  and  in  a  short  address 
speaks  on  the  foolish  virgins  whose  lights  went  out, 
not  through  any  deliberation  but  as  the  result  of 
careless  negligence  passing  into  drowsiness,  torpor, 
sleep.  He  shows  his  usual  skill  in  selecting  common 
illustrations  :  “  If  the  water  in  your  yard  is  never 
stirred,  the  green  scum  gathers  on  the  top  and  it 
smells — so  it  is  with  the  Christian  life.” 

No  touch  of  wind  comes  through  the  open 
doors  and  windows  to  cool  the  room  ;  outside  the 
sunshine  blazes  on  land  and  water  ;  through  the 
hot  stillness  comes  the  soft  wash  of  the  waves  on  the 
beach,  the  distant  hammering  of  a  tinsmith  in  the 
town,  the  chirping  of  the  sparrows  on  the  house¬ 
top.  The  conditions  breed  languor,  drowsiness, 
slumber  ;  one  realizes  how  in  such  a  country 
Christians  must  make  special  efforts  to  keep  their 
lights  burning.  .  .  . 

In  the  afternoon  comes  the  ward  service  in 
Arabic,  conducted  by  the  Doctor,  the  patients 
around  him,  some  squatting  on  the  spotless  marble 
floor,  others  on  forms  and  chairs  or  sitting  up  in 
their  cots,  men  and  women  and  children  of  many 
types — bedouin,  fellahin,  Jews  and  Jewesses — all 
quiet  and  patient,  with  eyes  that  never  leave  the 
Doctor’s  face.  Now  and  again,  in  answer  to  a 
question,  comes  a  general  sigh  or  sign  of  acqui¬ 
escence  or  a  more  emphatic  response  from  some 
strong-minded  individual.  But  what  they  are 


276 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


thinking  how  they  are  being  influenced — who  can 
tell  ?  .  . 

In  the  deeper  hush  of  the  night,  when  the  moon¬ 
light  lies  upon  the  Lake,  a  nurse  bends  over  an  old 
Jew  whose  hours  are  run.  The  lights  are  low  in 
the  ward  and  all  the  patients  are  asleep,  but  with  an 
effort  he  turns  and  glances  furtively  towards  the 
other  beds,  and  then  looks  up  with  a  smile  into  the 
compassionate  face  of  the  girl.  She  knows  and 
whispers  the  one  word  “  Jesus.”  He  nods,  his 
lips  move.  “  Yes,  I  am  a  Christian  at  heart,  and 
I  am  trusting  in  Jesus.”  Even  as  he  speaks  his 
breath  fails  and  his  spirit  passes.  .  .  . 

Now  as  of  old  Jesus  walks  in  Galilee,  moving 
the  hearts  of  the  people  and  drawing  them  to  Him 
and  to  peace  of  mind  and  body  and  to  eternal  rest. 


VII.  “  GOD'S  RESERVES  ”  1 

1922 

So  the  Galilee  Doctor  is  left,  after  his  thirty-nine 
years  of  toil,  in  happier  times,  amidst  better  condi¬ 
tions,  and  with  most  of  his  dreams  for  the  work 
come  true  ;  respected  by  every  class  and  creed, 
the  value  of  his  work  officially  recognized,  and 
the  honour  of  O.B.E.  conferred  upon  him  by  His 
Majesty's  Government  in  recognition  of  his  great 
public  services  to  the  people  of  Palestine. 

1  An  expression  used  by  Mr.  Edward,  Scotland’s  first  ordained  Jewish 
missionary,  to  signify  that  Christian  Jews  are  to  he  the  evangelizers  of 
he  nations. 


"  GOD’S  RESERVES  ” 


277 


While  he  looked  forward  hopefully  to  the  future, 
he  did  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  there  were  still 
uncertain  elements  in  the  situation.  There  was 
the  possibility  of  political  disturbance,  since  in 
the  event  of  the  Jewish  power  developing  it  was  not 
likely  that  the  Arabs  would  allow  themselves  to  fall 
into  a  state  of  dependence  ;  there  was  the  greater 
danger  of  a  Pan-Islamic  revival  which  would  involve 
Palestine  ;  official  Judaism  might  also  begin  the 
intensive  cultivation  of  its  faith,  which  would  harden 
many  against  Christianity.  But,  on  the  whole, 
he  believed  that  things  generally  would  be  more 
favourable  for  mission  service  and  propaganda. 

It  was  naturally  the  position  and  aims  of  the  Jews 
which  concerned  him  most.  Those  of  the  new  type 
were  placing  nationalism  before  religion,  and  were 
more  concerned  with  the  present  and  the  future 
than  with  the  past ;  but  the  mass  still  clung  to  their 
old  ideals  and  customs  and  to  the  khalukah.  The 
Doctor’s  view,  however,  was  that  with  the  spread  of 
education  legal  religion  would  cease  to  satisfy  them, 
and  become,  as  it  was  to  others,  a  subject  merely 
of  archaeological  interest.  Already  they  were  be¬ 
ginning  to  be  conscious  of  the  unreality  of  it,  and 
were  groping  after  a  truer  and  more  liberal  inter¬ 
pretation  of  spiritual  verities.  They  seemed  more 
disposed  to  study  the  New  Testament,  and  he 
believed  that  with  honest  study  of  the  claims  of 
Christ,  they  would  find  in  Him  not,  indeed,  the 
political  Messiah  that  had  proved  so  hopeless  an 
expectation  throughout  their  history,  but  a  spiritual 
Saviour  who  would  satisfy  their  deepest  needs. 

Several  factors,  moreover,  continued  to  sustain 


278 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


their  hereditary  hostility  to  Christianity.  The 
religion  of  the  Christians  as  they  had  seen  it 
and  experienced  it  throughout  the  centuries  was 
not  a  lovely  or  lovable  thing  ;  to  them  it  was  the 
embodiment  of  passion,  force,  and  oppression  ; 
all  the  bitter  suffering  which  they  had  endured  as 
a  race  they  attributed  to  its  followers.  And  they 
still  knew  only  of  its  low  ideals  and  superstitious 
practices  as  exhibited  in  the  communities  of 
Palestine.  These  they  regarded  with  a  shudder, 
for  although  themselves  ignorant  and  bigoted,  they 
yet  strove,  according  to  their  lights,  for  righteous¬ 
ness.  On  this  point  the  Doctor  could  give  his 
testimony.  “  I  speak  for  Tiberias,”  he  says,  “  and 
up  to  the  outbreak  of  war.  You  could  not  find 
purer  homes  than  those  of  the  Jews.  I  know  of 
no  rivals  to  them  except  Christian  homes — really 
Christian  homes.” 

Again,  the  Jews,  like  the  Moslems,  could  not 
understand  the  superiority  of  Christianity.  In 
the  matter  of  unity  it  seemed  no  better  than  their 
own  or  Islam,  for  it  was  also  torn  into  opposing 
sects  ;  and  if,  in  their  heart-hunger  for  a  living 
person  and  a  personal  deliverer,  they  turned  to 
it,  they  were  presented  with  a  metaphysical  plan 
of  salvation  and  theological  theories  which  were 
as  forbidding  as  the  Talmudic  law.  Why  should 
they  relinquish  their  own  faith,  which  for  three 
thousand  years  had  been  the  guiding  light  of  their 
race,  for  one  that  could  not  control  the  lives  and 
actions  of  its  disciples  ? 

There  was,  further,  the  undeniable  fact  that  the 
Jew  was  still,  in  the  eyes  of  Christians,  an  unpopular 


“  GOD’S  RESERVES  ” 


279 


figure,  disliked  for  his  national  and  personal  char¬ 
acteristics,  shunned  in  social  life,  and  the  subject 
of  sneer  and  contemptuous  reference  in  speech  and 
books.  “  Strange,”  says  Dr.  Torrance.  “  We  take 
our  sacred  books  from  the  Jews,  we  worship  accord¬ 
ing  to  their  system,  we  get  our  Saviour  from  them, 
our  theology  is  largely  based  on  the  works  of  a  Jew, 
yet  Christendom  turns  on  them,  imprisons  them  in 
ghettos,  and  then  condemns  them  for  being  what 
they  are  !  ”  “  But  the  Jews  killed  Christ,”  is  the 

thought  of  many.  It  was  official  Judaism  that  sent 
Him  to  His  death,  and  even  so,  He  forgave  all  who 
were  implicated ;  but  His  followers,  trampling  on 
His  spirit,  have  never  forgiven  the  race,  and  in 
despising  and  rejecting  it  are,  in  folly  and  sin,  on  a 
level  with  the  ecclesiastical  leaders  of  old.  Is  it 
any  wonder  that  the  task  of  bringing  the  Jews  to 
Christ  in  such  a  country  as  Palestine  is  a  difficult 
one  ?  So  long  as  this  prejudice  continues,  how  can 
they  be  expected  to  love  and  reverence  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  ?  Do  Christians  as  a  rule  fall  on  the 
necks  of  those  whom  they  regard  as  their  enemies  ? 

It  was  a  source  of  the  greatest  gratification  to  Dr. 
Torrance  that  he  was  the  agent  of  a  Church  which, 
despite  the  lukewarmness  of  many  of  its  members, 
neither  ignored  the  Jew  in  its  vision  of  Christ’s  work 
nor  neglected  him  in  its  range  of  practical  service. 
Like  other  Christian  bodies  it  was  often  blamed 
for  worldly  self-interest  ;  here,  at  least,  was  a  fact 
which  proved  that  it  was  governed  by  something 
higher  than  a  feeling  for  popularity. 

But  the  prejudice  is  passing.  A  nobler  ethical 
spirit  is  beginning  to  rule  the  thoughts  of  men, 


280 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


there  is  a  wider  recognition  of  the  Divine  significance 
and  value  of  every  human  soul,  and  a  growing  sense 
of  world  brotherhood.  This  larger  and  finer  view 
is  embracing  the  Jews  in  its  range  ;  after  all,  they 
are  not  animists  or  idolaters  or  atheists,  but  one  of 
the  most  advanced  and  competent  of  peoples,  with 
a  genius  for  religion.  The  process,  no  doubt,  will 
be  hastened  by  the  establishment  of  a  national 
centre  in  Palestine.  Scattered  throughout  the 
world  and  lost  in  every  variety  of  community,  with 
no  land,  as  Byron  put  it,  but  the  grave,  they  have 
had  no  united  voice  in  the  world’s  councils ;  but 
once  concentrated  as  a  compact  racial  body,  a 
central  power  in  the  world’s  great  highway,  they 
may  become,  as  the  Greeks  were  of  old,  a  national 
and  intellectual  force  to  be  taken  into  account,  and 
will  exact  and  receive  the  consideration  and  respect 
to  which  their  position  will  entitle  them. 

But  the  supreme  lesson  of  Dr.  Torrance’s  long 
experience  is  that  love  alone  will  bring  them  to 
Christ.  He  began  with  that  conviction  and  he  is 
ending  with  it.  The  Jew  is  intensely  human  ;  he 
is  affectionate,  with  the  home  sense  strongly 
developed,  a  man  of  concord  and  peace,  and  he 
responds  readily  to  sympathy  and  kindness. 
Through  love  he  can  best  be  drawn  to  respond 
to  the  appeal  of  Christ.  The  work  amongst  Jews 
calls,  of  course,  for  the  highest  mental  gifts.  Their 
type  of  mind  must  be  appreciated,  and  their 
language  must  be  mastered.  No  one  also  can 
understand  Judaism  as  it  has  been  historically 
developed  without  a  thorough  knowledge  of  that 
vast  religious  literature  which  is  its  most  precious 


"  GOD’S  RESERVES  ” 


281 


possession.  To  know  the  Jew  one  must  know  the 
Talmud  as  well  as  he  knows  the  New  Testament. 
But  without  love  all  one’s  learning  and  service 
will  profit  nothing.  Christians  must  present 
Christianity  as  Christ  would  present  it.  Then  : 

“  The  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  come  to  light, 

The  elder  brother  Jew  will  straight  come  in 
And  mourn  for  that  he  had  no  sooner  sight.” 

Some  of  the  opposition  to  Christian  missions  is 
probably  due  to  the  fear  that  the  race  will  lose 
its  identity  if  it  relinquishes  the  characteristics  of  its 
faith  ;  and  this  may  be  one  of  the  reasons  why  a 
national  home  is  welcomed  ;  it  is  to  be  built  to 
block  out  the  vision  of  the  Cross.  Hence  the  need 
for  a  clear  declaration  of  policy  as  to  the  aim  of 
Christian  effort.  Christianity  does  not  wish  to 
take  anything  essential  from  the  character  of  the 
Jewish  faith,  but  to  add  to  it,  to  complete  it,  to 
supply  the  keystone  to  what  is  unfinished.  True 
Judaism  and  true  Christianity  are  in  reality  not  two 
faiths  but  one.  A  Jew  who  becomes  a  convert  to 
Christianity  does  not  cease  to  be  a  Jew,  but  glories 
in  being  a  Christian  Jew,  loyal  to  all  that  is  best 
in  his  race.  Although  many  Christians  do  not 
like  the  idea  of  a  Hebrew-Christian  Church  in 
Christian  countries,  such  an  institution  would  seem 
to  be  necessary  in  the  special  circumstances  of 
Palestine,  not  only  on  account  of  the  language  but 
in  order  that  the  nationality  of  the  members  may 
be  retained. 

There  is  a  danger  that  official  Judaism  may 
seek  to  draw  some  distinction  between  nation- 


282 


A  GALILEE  DOCTOR 


ality  and  religion,  but  if  any  new  State  that 
may  be  established  is  to  be  religiously  isolated  and 
self-contained,  and  the  Christian  Jew  is  to  be 
excluded  from  its  privileges,  it  will  doom  itself 
to  decay  and  extinction.  History  shows  that  no 
nation  can  keep  abreast  of  the  world  and  the 
development  of  science  and  art  by  shutting  itself 
up  into  a  self-righteous  and  intolerant  one-roomed 
state  of  mind.  There  is  no  reason  why  a  Jewish 
Christian  should  not  be  a  member  of  a  Jewish 
State  ;  he  need  be  no  more  of  a  political  danger 
than  an  orthodox  Jew  is  in  England  or  America. 
What  other  countries  offer,  the  Jews  cannot  refuse. 
But  all  will  be  well  if  the  modern  spirit,  which  is 
making  for  tolerance  and  enlightenment,  continues 
to  prevail. 

If,  in  the  end,  the  Jews  should  become  a 
Christian  nation,  a  grander  prospect  would  be 
opened  up  for  them  than  if  they  were  to  circum¬ 
scribe  their  influence  by  continuing  a  purely 
Judaic  community.  Such  a  consummation  might 
be  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  for  humanity.  Jews 
can  best  win  Jews,  and  Jewry  is  so  closely  linked  up, 
the  strands  of  interest  and  loyalty  are  so  interwoven, 
that  a  Christian  Palestine — a  Palestine  with  a  soul — 
would  ultimately  affect  every  other  country.  They 
are  also  an  Eastern  race  with  a  psychology  fitting 
them  to  appeal  to  Eastern  peoples  ;  they  are,  there¬ 
fore,  the  most  suitable  instrument  to  carry  the  Gospel 
to  Moslems.  Individuals  have  frequently  shown 
what  they  can  accomplish  as  Christian  missionaries, 
and  if  they  should  become  converted  in  the  mass, 
Christendom  may  see  a  fresh  and  powerful  influence 


“  GOD’S  RESERVES  ” 


283 


coming  into  operation  in  the  interests  of  Christ  and 
His  Kingdom.  Out  of  the  Holy  Land  may  issue 
again  the  idealism,  enthusiasm,  and  strength  which 
will  revive  and  renew  a  world  that  has  grown  some¬ 
what  weary  with  its  problems,  with  strivings  that 
have  proved  futile,  and  with  progress  that  has  been 
unaccompanied  by  peace. 


THE  END 


/ 


t 


Sr 


Date  Due 


. 


+ 


■ 


f 


■ 


.  •> 


) 


1  1012  01045  3183 


